ROLE OF N.Z. INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28480, 9 January 1958, Page 8

ROLE OF N.Z. INDUSTRY

“No Need For A Buying Rush”

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 8.

New Zealand industry would be able to fill the gap in consumer goods caused by the import restrictions, and there was no need for a buying rush by the public, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr P. N. Holloway) in Auckland today. However, he added, in some isolated instances, such as the manufacture of chinaware, costume jewellery, whisky, and other spirits, the country’s industry would not be able to take up the slack entirely.

“January imports are very heavy and only just beginning to flow into the country,” he said, “and in practically all cases where New Zealand industry cannot fill the gap, allocations for raw materials have been made as high as possible.”

The Government could not see why there should be a gap at all. said Mr Holloway. The raw materials were and would be available, and the productive capacity was there, he added.

“I have assured the manufacturers that their raw materials will be taken care of, and we have now opened the door to them to produce more.”

The Government’s immediate object was to increase production from existing facilities, said Mr Holloway. Expenditure on new plant should be more for supplementary equipment, rather than for new plant.

At a meeting with the council of the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association, Mr Holloway assured manufacturers that they could be certain of a continuing policy from the Government.

“As Auckland is the most important industrial centre in New Zealand,” said Mr Holloway, “I came here first.”

Detailed Information At the meeting he emphasised the importance of obtaining detailed information on productive capacity and requirements such as finance, the amount of equipment likely to be needed for increased production, and the percentage of raw materials used that could be produced in New Zealand.

“Although we have a fair estimate of these figures,” said Mr Holloway, “we must have accurate data so as to adjust our import system to a high degree to the requirements of New Zealand industry.”

Mr Holloway said that the National Government had never had any detailed information such as the present Government required. Furthermore, the Labour Government wanted the manufacturers themselves to state what they needed, and not to dictate to them.

Manufacturers had given the Government the assurance that they would produce at maximum efficiency and produce goodquality goods at reasonable prices.

The information that the Government required from the manufacturing industry would be channelled through the existing groups represented in the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation. (Earlier Reference, Page 12.)