"200 PAGES OF COMPLACENCY”

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32396, 8 September 1970, Page 14

"200 PAGES OF COMPLACENCY”

The report of regional development in New Zealand, by the Institute of Economic Research, was described as “200 pages of complacency” at a meeting of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association yesterday.

The speaker was the president (Mr J. D. Bull), who observed that the institute had suggested another look at the situation in 10 years.

The vice-president (Mr E. B. Chapman) said the situation was not so bad that it was necessary to direct industries to localities, but unless steps were taken soon some expensive direction and redirection would be necessary later.

Mr Bull: All we wanted were incentives for regional development. There was no suggestion of direction.

Mr Bull was critical of the suggestion that the Labour Department should set up an information bureau to help establish industries, when the Department of Industries and Commerce was available to do this work. “This would achieve about as much success as we are getting in immigration—which is just about nil,” said Mr Bull. Expanding the field for i immigrants to western i Europe would, from the Australian experience, give an I increase in immigration of about 25 per cent, Mr Bull said. "But what’s a 25 per cent increase on something which is just pathetic?” he asked.