Great Good Expected From Industrial Talks

Press, Issue 29236, 21 June 1960, Page 16

Great Good Expected From Industrial Talks

A firm belief that great good would come out of last week’s industrial development conference was expressed by Mr W. A. Bascand (president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation) in a report to the council of the Canterbury Manufacturers* Association last evening.

Because it meant compressing so much into a short time, the conference proved to be too wide altogether. Speakers were allowed three minutes only and on one day 75 speakers covered many topics.

It was easy to criticise, said Mr Bascand. The need was to evaluate and, by and large, the conference was worth while. To some degree, there was very strong representation of the standpoint of one or two sections and it became evident that manufacturers, to hold their place at the conference and also in consideration of the Industrial development of the country in the future, had to put their case strongly and uphold their beliefs. "This, I think it can be said, we managed to do," said Mr Bascand. “When men of capability and strong views meet together and those viewpoints do not necessarily seem to run parallel it is a time, or rather it takes a time, for the reconciliation of divergent views to come about and to find bow closely, in the long run, they do run parallel" Quite a library of information would be basic to considerations bound to come before the country as time passed, said Mr Bascand. He thought the Government would gain much from the conference. Much had been said and a large measure of agreement reached on some issue*. "Informed Better

“One may well ask what practical value would come out of the conference. Might I say this that life does not consist of just tangible things. Behind all effort is belief and I am sure that a more informed belief has become the position of many men who attended that conference. The integral and essential place of manufacturing in our national life has become more firmly fixed in the minds of many men. The character of the management of much industry was evidenced tn the representatives we had there and I most firmly believe that our federation itself is regarded with greater status than before the conference." Not only did the transport or tourist or the farming sections of New Zealand’s life come to appreciate manufacturing more, but he believed manufacturers came to appreciate much more the problems of farming, transport and tourism, said Mr Bascand. The Interchange of experience and ideas meant more knowledge—and knowledge was power.

Mr R. G. Pearce said the conference was an education. His brain had reeled at times before

the conference at the wisdom put into the papers. It was disappointing at time* that leader* on line* of thought were restricted in the time given them. Rattier than being a complete blue print for the future, the conference recorded streams of thought of those interested in the future of the country. Mr Bascand’* leadership of the manufacturing Interests was an exhausting task. A delegate had told him it was a pity that Mr Bascand was not forceful enough and that manufacturers did not have someone “who will scream his heed off Uko Mr A. P. O’Shea," Mid Mr M. F. O'Brien. He had replied that Mr Bascand was very Straight, know what he was talking about and had no "boloney" about Mm. Mr Bascand’s handling of the manufacturers’ case was praiseworthy; one did not have to scream one’s head off to make points.