OUTPUT OF N.Z. FACTORIES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27733, 10 August 1955, Page 11

OUTPUT OF N.Z. FACTORIES

VALUE AND VOLUME COMPARED (From Our Own Reporter) HANMER, August 8. While the value of the output of New Zealand factories increased in proportion of 1000 to 1561 between 1949-50 and 1953-54, the volume of output rose only from 1000 to 1184. Quoting these figures from the 1955 economic survey, the president of New Zealand Textile and Garment Manufacturers’ Federation. Mr A. Woolley (Auckland) said today that a constant endeavour must be made to bring the volume of production more closely into alignment with record figures set in the value of production. Mr Woolley was presenting his annual report to members at the conference. “The New Zealand manufacturer, in my opinion, can claim favourable comparison both in quality and price with his overseas counterpart, provided always that factors outside his control which influence competitive ability and costs are fairly recognised and assessed.” The country’s imports in the last few years showed serious fluctuations. Before manufacturers could have any confidence or sense of future security in a tariff system, there must be a clearer appreciation of both its objectives as a regulator of imports and its effectiveness in actual practice. “The present rate of clothing imports could represent quite a threat to our prbducts generally, and in fact has already caused various difficulties to some sections of the clothing trade. Furthermore, Imports from countries with much lower standards of living than ours are on the increase, and your executive looks and will continue to look to the Government to see that local products are adequately protected against unfair competition,’ ’said Mr Woolley.