Legislation On Industrial Pacts Supported

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 10

Legislation On Industrial Pacts Supported

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 8. A move by the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation to seek legislative provision under whim interested parties would have an opportunity to be heard by an independent authority before protection is afforded new industries under industrial agreements is supported by the United Kingdom Manufacturers’ and New Zealand Representatives’ Association. Making this statement today, the president of the association (Mr George E. Stock), said the view that New Zealand manufacturing industry should be encouraged to develop and extend was not open to serious question. It was the direction and degree of encouragement by

protection and the manner of its giving with which a wide section of the commercial community was concerned.

“Much of this concern stems from the secrecy with which arrangements of vital importance to coniutmers and old-established firms have been made in the past. “Many o* the several hundred industrial ’arrangements’ existing must affect in some measure the future of established firms, be they other manufacturers, wholesale or retail distributors, or agents, and it is surely only fair to those interests that the nature of the arrangements be made available to them.”

The placing before the House of the long-promised White Paper on the subject was much overdue, said Mr Stock. “Our association must support the New Zealand Retailers' Federation in their concern and anxiety as to the secret agreements which have been made with callous disregard for existing and traditional importers and longestabliriied and well-ordered me'hods of distribution. “To find one morning that a business association which has worked successfully for

more than half a century to the satisfaction of overseas suppliers, importers and consumers is disrupted, without warning, and with a cynical disregard of the livelihood and feelings of the people concerned is, to say the least of it, shattering . , .’’ Mr Stock said the retailers’ suggestion that, in future, commitments which involved the Government in an obligation to provide protection either by way of Customs tariff or import licensing be the subject of prior reference to some independent authority was most rational and practical. This responsibility should be vested in the proposed Tariff and Development Board, said Mr Stock. "Even the most optimistic assessment of trading conditions in the immediate future points to the extreme desirability—if not, in fact, the stark necessity—of utilising all existing resources of machinery and manpower in the most effective manner. . . .”

Factory Fire.—Slight damage was done to the premises of Norvic Footwear, Ltd., 204-208 Hazeldean road, Addington, when fire broke out at the factory at 11.20 a.m. on Wednesday. The fire is believed to have started when particles of leather dust ignited. One engine from Central attended.