GROWTH OF INDUSTRY IN CANTERBURY SINCE 1936

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 8

GROWTH OF INDUSTRY IN CANTERBURY SINCE 1936

Farm employment in Canterbury fell more—both absolutely and proportionately—between 1936 and 1951 than anywhere else in New Zealand; and during approximately the same period, factory employment In Canterbury rose faster than in any other province. These comments on official statistics are made in a bulletin entitled ‘Manufacturing .Progress in Canterbury,” issued by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. The bulletin is written by “W.R.,” a member of the staff of the department of economics at Canterbury University College. Between the census of 1936 and that of 1951, farm employment in Canterbury fell from 21,371 to 14,657, or 31.4 per cent, according to a table in the bulletin. Factory employment in the province in 1934-45 was 12,862 (5.5 per cent.) of the province’s population). and in 1951-52 it was 25,430 (8.9 per cent.), compared with the Dominion average of 7.6 per cent. "Canterbury, which was third equal in the percentage of factory workers to population,, has risen to first rank after 17 years of industrialisation,” the writer says. A comparison of two tables in the bulletin snows that Canterbury’s manufacturing employment is well above the New Zealand average; 41 per cent, of the non-agricultural employment in Canterbury (on April 15, 1954) was in manufacturing, compared with the New Zealand average of 36 per cent “This is largely because in Christchurch Canterbury possesses an industrial centre which is second to none in New Zealand,” says the bulletin. In the four main centres, manufacturing employment is a.proportion of all nonagricultural employment, was as follows: Christchurch, 42.5 per cent.: Auckland. 42.1 per cent.; Dunedin. 36.9 per cent; Wellington and Hutt 31.8 per cent. .... Listing 14 Christchurch industries each employing 500 or more workers (On April 15, 1954), the writer says that metal industries employ almost 5700 persons, and textile and footwear industries a similar number. These in-

dustnes—with the rubber and frozen meat industries—are obviously the backbone of Christchurch’s industrial character, says the bulletin. General engineering, with 3749 employees, had the most workers of any of the 14 categories listed.

By comparing employment figures for 11 types of industry in 1936 and 1951, the writer concludes that Canterbury has increased its manufacturing activity in most industries relative to the rest of New Zealand. This is so far the assembly, body building and repair of vehicles; general engineering; stone, clay, cement and glass; chemicals and miscellaneous (which includes rubber). Among the Canterbury industries that have not kept pace with the expansion elsewhere are the food manufacturing industry, which Includes freezing and dairy factories, and woodworking and paper manufacture. Generally. Canterbury factories are about of average New Zealand size, but Canterbury firms in 20 categories are among the four largest in New Zealand in their respective industries. These industries include brick and lime works, foundry work, agricultural machinery making, rubber manufacture, and woollen mills. According to a 1947-48 survey, eight out of 47 industries surveyed had at least two of the leading four enterprises In Canterbury—“an Indication of the vitality of Canterbury industry.’’ '