Factory closing

Press, 19 March 1986, Page 18

Factory closing

Sir,—lf Mr Moyle believes British and European farmers are going to minimise their agricultural activities so allowing free import of efficiently-pro-duced New Zealand produce, then he is an optimist. He said, "We have opened our markets to industrial goods ...” and could have continued to say that we have closed down factories like Andersons, Stainless Steel Castings, etc. How different from the first Labour Government. Then when a large gold dredge was required for the West Coast, though a “first off,” it was made at the Addington Workshops, so encouraging local industry and the development of new technological skills. Roger Douglas wrote in 1980, “New Zealand is a nation that has lost its spirit, the fire in its belly.” But is the free import of foreign goods going to encourage our industrialists to produce in New Zealand? Should we encourage our industrial labour force to emigrate; reduce population like we have pulled up the grape-

vines? — Yours, etc., PATRICK NEARY. March 16, 1986.