Conference On N.Z. Industries’ Future

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29153, 14 March 1960, Page 10

Conference On N.Z. Industries’ Future

(New< Zedfand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 13. The Government is inviting more than 40 organisations to a national industrial development conference in Wellington in June. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Holloway) announced this at the opening of the Levin Industries Fair on Saturday. ' The conference is aimed at a bi-partisan approach to problems of New Zealand’s industrial development. Mr Holloway said subjects the with building a nation are ever

conference would cover included economic growth, productivity, natural resources, power needs, research needs, location problems, financial requirements, banking services, foreign investment in New Zealand, overseas exchange and balance of payments, internal and external markets, employment, automation and mechanisation. management and labour, transport and communications, organisation and methods, education for industry and the role of the Government. “It is vital for our country’s good that there should be a broad acceptance of the principles of development, and this cannot be achieved without an opportunity being given to all sections of our people to put forward their point of view and a chance to constructively criticise one another,” Mr Holloway said. “The growing pains associated

“ a uanvw aic CVCI with us, and today the problems of the rate of development, the needs of industry—properly balanced with the rights of - the consumer—will not be solved without much study and work.” Mr Holloway said there had been criticism of the growth of manufacturing in New Zealand. “It is time that verbal sniping stopped and reasonable discussions were substituted." he said. The Government was inviting more than 40 organisations to send delegates to the conference, to be held in the third week of June. He added that any “responsible body of citizens” could apply to send representatives. “To introduce selected topics it is intended to present individual papers which will then be examined by working committees, which will have the benefit of background informa-

tion,” the Minister said. “This will be a most important conference, and could have far reaching effects. I ask for everybody’s co-operation to ensure that the deliberations are full and soundly based,” he said. The population of New Zealand was growing at such a rate that unless employment other than on the land was found "we won’t be able to find jobs for everyone in the country,” said the Minister. The Government had tried to step up industrial expansion because it would not be long before several thousands of young persons would be leaving schools. “It is not going to be tough for them to find a job because they arp going to be well educated—the people who are geing to find it tough, are you and I,” Mr Holloway said.