SECONDARY INDUSTRY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30153, 10 June 1963, Page 12

SECONDARY INDUSTRY

N.Z. Advised On Attitude (N.Z. Press Association) ROTORUA, June 9 The great thing was to break down the belief that only secondary industry could save New Zealand, said Professor K. B. Cumberland, professor of geography at Auckland University, in reply to questions at the Constitutional Society convention in Rotorua.

“It is so artificial when we have no mdustrir.l expertise to turn us overnight in.;o exporting manufacturers—to become another Switzerland or Sweden." sale Professor Cumberland. Mr G. H. Roach, of Hastings said it was not perhaps generally known that of the 455 officers of the Department of Industries and Commerce. 420 were concerned with secondary industry and 23 with agriculture. The proportion, he thought, should be reversed

Professor Cumberland said the Meat Board was doing by far the better job. It was even creating markets New Zealand could not at presen: satisfy. Professor Cumberland said New Zealand's former long lead in agricultural efficiency was being caught up with The productivity of British farms, for example, had more than doubled since World War 11. In the United States, 10 per cent, of holdings were operated by companies. These holdings covered 17 per cent, of agricultural land, produced 60 per cent, of the total output, and used 70 per cent, of employed labour.

New Zealand could induce greater efficiency by amalgamating some borderline dairy farms, he said.