PROTECTING INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28445, 27 November 1957, Page 16

PROTECTING INDUSTRY

Mr Nash Gives Policy

Manufacturing industries in New Zealand charging fair prices would have protection from a Labour Government, but in return the Government would want efficiency and an assurance that manufacturers would not use a monopoly “to fleece the public,” said the Leader of the Labour Party (Mr Nash) in Christchurch last evening. The Civic Theatre had “house full” signs up a quarter of an hour before Mr Nash arrived. Extra chairs were put on the stage behind the speaker, and the Labour Party candidates and a few persons braved the cold and rain outside to listen to the loudspeakers. About 1300 persons heard the address of an hour and a half. He spoke of manufacturing, Mr Nash said, because Christchurch had more manufacturing establishments employing 500 employees than any other centre. “Some splendid clothing is made here: it is as good as anything you can find anywhere in the world, and prices are competitive with goods from anywhere with conditions comparable with New Zealand's,” he said. “In Christchurch you make very good shoes. They are better than any I have ' seen anywhere else in the world." ' he said of a pair of Christchurchmade shoes he had had for six ! years. • But New Zealand footwear i manufacturing was declining because shoes were being brought in from overseas, he continued. ! Some employees had less wages • because of the decline in the last three years. That should not be. ’ While New Zealand could make clothing. footwear. machinery, ■ refrigerators, and other goods at • competitive prices, the Labour Party would see that manufacturers had the right to the New Zealand market. Manufacturing industries would be called on to ; provide many new jobs, and it must be protected against imports. “We will not fix prices for goods when we are satisfied that there is legitimate competition. , but when monopolies come in and charge unfair prices, we will stop the monopolies,” said Mr Nash. Family Homes Surveying some of the major points in his party's policy, Mr Nash said of the scheme to allow mothers to capitalise the family allowance to provide money for a home that a mother with children could capitalise the amount due to be paid until a child reached 16. Of criticism that 15s a week for 16 years produced more than £5OO. Mr Nash said: “If you give me £5OO now I will give you 15s a week for 16 years, and I will make more out of it than you do.” There were a lot of details to be worked out, but he was sure that the scheme was going to do a lot of good in encouraging home ownership. It was important that there should be the security of a home for children. He would like to go further, and see every child have his or her own room. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake > had said in Auckland that he was “talking big,” Mr Nash continued. “We have had big price rises, big profits, got big monopolies; the Government has made big blunders; there have been big sell-outs, and big handouts.” Asked whether the Labour Party would stop immigration until all New Zealanders had got homes, Mr Nash said that the Labour Party would examine the immigration policy. It might be that too many were being brought in. But no-one would be stopped from coming from Britain. “There is a standard open door to Britain.” Mr Nash was given a vociferous welcome as he and the local Labour Party candidates were piped into the theatre, and there were three cheers and spontaneous singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” before the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) as chairman, could open the meeting. Mr Nash was given an attentive hearing with bursts of applause.