Good Wishes From Federation

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 24

Good Wishes From Federation

(A messages from the president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr Rex Moore)

-1 variety of the goods they prod' duce today. e It is essential for the prosperity \ of Canterbury and the future of - the South Island that the general d public should be fully acquainted - with their manufacturing Indus- ! e tries and their importance to the i s community. That is why this In- I Y dustries Fair is so important. ! a New Zealand industry today em- j - ploys 210.000 people, pays them i r £l2O million a year, and pro- i y duces goods worth more than j e £6lO million annually. If we | " are to find sufficient jobs for ’ our quickly growing labour force t e we must have expanding manu- s

i In this modern age, when nuI clear science, electronics and I outer space exploration provide fresh wonders almost every day, it is perhaps becoming increas- ' ingly difficult to look back and isomewhat easier to live the pre- ■ sent and plan the future. On the . occasion of the 1959 Industries I Fair the people of Canterbury i have a wonderful opportunity to i inspect the products of New Zealand manufacturers, note their continued improvement in quality I land design, and contemplate the , future industrial expansion of ' their city and province. It is interesting and instructive • to recall the achievements of the , past when considering the developments of the future. Enterprise and courage were present a century ago in this province as I am sure they are today. The infant settlement of Canterbury saw, for example, the foundation of an engineering industry that eventually exported to the world;. a section of the country’s import-’ ant woollen industry was j pioneered m Canterbury; carpet manufacturing in New Zealand was started in Christchurch in 1883; and, jumping the years, the virile plastics industry had its birth in Christchurch in 1932. Christchurch has much to be proud of in its past achievements in industry and has grounds for still greater pride in its modern factories and the quality and

facturing industries, and we must have them spread throughout the country.

On the occasion of the 1959 Industries Fair I would suggest to all who inspect its many fine exhibits to consider the contribution they themselves can make to

this necessary industrial expansion. In the first place, they should find cause for great pride in the goods being produced by New Zealanders today, and buy them wherever possible, for there is no question our products are making great advances in quality, design and eye-appeal with every year. They should consider, too, the careers that manufacturing offers to young people in the widest possible fields and encourage them to enter industry. They should support moves for increased technical education and research, which, coupled with the “know-how” we import by such means as royalty agreements, are so vital to our industrial development. Above all, they should' have confidence in the future of New Zealand and confidence to invest in that future. New Zealand is treading the paths of history in the development of its manufacturing industry. I am confident that the way we are following leads to prosperity.