Targets For Forestry And Fishing Criticised

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31769, 28 August 1968, Page 1

Targets For Forestry And Fishing Criticised

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, August 27.

The targets set for exports of forest products were too low, and for fishing too high, delegates complained to the National Development Conference today when there was discussion on the report of the targets committee.

In both cases the criticism was welcomed by the authors of the report, and the chairman of the committee (Mr A. R. Low) said it was the information that was needed so that the whole pattern of recommended increases in national growth could be tailored.

Those concerned with agricultural exports had little to say today, but are expected to make a major contribution tomorrow, when the full conference will resume after sector coinmittees have had a chance to discuss the targets committee’s recommendations

allocating percentage growth to each sector of the economy.

Mr A. L. Poole, the DirectorGeneral of Forests, said forestry exports were already greater than the committee’s recommendation of s6om for 1972-73 and it was expected that the 1978-79 increased target would be exceeded. He was supported by Mr I. L Holmes, who said that this year there would be an export receipt of at least s4sm from forestry. It seemed from that that forestry was capable of doing better than the target set it.

Mr M. L. Newman, of Christchurch, complained that the target of 178 per cent increase for the full 10-year period for fisheries was too high.

“People eat what they know and only Australia and New Zealand know New Zealand types of fish,” he said. “We have tried to sell our fish all over the world, but without great success, and the Australian and New Zealand markets are virtually saturated " There was not a great potential for expansion of the fishing industry, he said Pelagic fishing probably had the best potential but a lot more research was needed before it could be said that there could be an increase. There was a chance of earn-

ing s4m from the export of oysters. Fish farming was speculative.

‘Based On Luck’

The target of s2sm by 197879 was unrealistic and was based on immense luck and a lot of guessing, Mr Newman said.

The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) who is chairman of the conference: We can’t deal in guesses here. Marketing methods must be improved if New Zealand was to succeed in exporting, said Mr N. Spencer, a member of the overseas marketing committee. New Zealand had production skills, but was backward in marketing and New Zealanders were inclined to be snobbish and think marketing did not require much skill. Mr D. B. McDonald, the research officer of the Federation of Labour, wanted to know where the money was coming from. The targets committee had said that much more saving was required. Would the working people be asked to make that saving, and if there was an accumulation of money in the country did it mean a reduction in the standard of living? f Export Advance This was something that the targets committee had not yet studied but it would certainly have to do so before the conference resumed in May, Mr Low replied. Mr R. G. Spiers, of the manufacturing committee, was applauded when he said that a higher level of manufacturing exports could and would be achieved.

There had been a spectaeu-

lar increase in exports of manufactured goods, he said, and in the last 10 years manufacturing had grown at a faster rate than any other section of the economy except electricity. Immigration was the subject chosen by several speakers, one of whom, Mr S. J. R. Chatten, said it was disturbing to hear people talking about leaving New Zealand for Australia. “New Zealand is a new and underdeveloped country," he said. “It should be attracting people from overseas, but is not doing so. We want people who think that New Zealand is the land of the future, and we need New Zealanders to think of that too." Immigration Cost He was supported by one man who said that it costs thousands of dollars to educate a New Zealand boy to be a tradesman and more thousands to make him a university graduate, but it cost little to assist a qualified immigrant to New Zealand. Several trade union representatives were fearful of the result any increased immigration would have on employment, and they were also perturbed about the use of the word “efficiency". Mr N. S. Woods, the Secretary of Labour, said it should be made clear that efficiency was not synonymous with more sweat. Efficiency really meant better output with less fatigue and higher morale. References to shift work also worried union representatives, and Mr E. A. Isbey said that New Zealand workers were not enamoured of shifts which meant that they did not enjoy the social amenities of the majority. Also, he said, if there was shift work there would be eight hours work for men who were now earning overtime to make their wages meet the cost of living, so they would have their overtime cut. /Shift Work Mr Low replied that some factories were on shift work, but others were reluctant to use their plant and capital to the best advantage. In his view, wherever shift work was possible it should be done. Discussion today was limited to the report of the targets committee, and much of the time was taken up by detailed explanation of the technical aspects of the report of Mr J. W. Rowe, director of the Institute of Economic Research, and Professor B. P. Philpott, director of the agricultural economics research unit at Lincoln College.

Tomorrow morning the sector committees will meet to discuss the report. They will come together in the afternoon, when the conference is expected to get down to facts on targets for development. (Reports, back page.)