INDUSTRIES OF NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 298, 10 September 1921, Page 9

INDUSTRIES OF NEW ZEALAND

GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGEMENT WORK OF THE BOARD OF TRADE “i The part to be played ,b» the Board of Trade in the development of the secondary industries of tjie Dominion was the subject of a. statement by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Hon. E. P. Lee) in Auckland this week. The Minister said that the time had nassed hy for discussing.-jyhether or not New Zealand should enter tho field of manufacture. Tho Dominion had already some 4000 industries, employing approximately 72,000 hands, with a largo amount, of capital represented by buildings and machinery. There was only one thing to do, that was, to carry on these industries to the very best possible advantage. The relationship between tho primary and secondarj’ industries had. teen discussed, but to his mind these two phases of tho life of the country were not. subjects for competitive examination at all. - The success of the Dominion was wrapped up in the efficient and skilful development of its natural resources, as well as tho develbrmient of its industrial resources, and. so far from these two being antagonistic they seOmed to him to te brethren in arms, depending upon each other, and assisting one another in the development of the country. In the early days of t],e country it was inevitable that agricultural and pastoral pursuits bhould precede industrial envelopment. It would bo the endeavour of the Board of Trade to assist the industries of the country in any way it possibly could. There were, he said, many ways in which it could do so. Since its inception tlio board had teen engaged in controlling difficult positions brought about by the way. Those had now disappeared, and ho considered it safe to say that the efforts of the board in futurewould bo' directed to assisting the development of industries. It had. teen said that "stone-age" methods should t>u placed on one side, and he considered that if-tho industries' were to be a *uv eess, up-to-date methods would have to prevail. He hoped the .people would so adjust their affairs as to work in harmony with each other for their mutual advantage. Scientific training would bring about in the industrial occupations of later years that efficiency which was so highly desirable. They bad to face the fact that if the best results ,wero to bo secured from industry, the Government would have to support it as the Governments of other countries had supported, their industries. Tho Government would have to see that they were up-to-date in all their methods. ~ T ['he institution of ay Im rd of scientific research had been suggested by other centres of the Dominion, and the . matter was now under consideration by tho Board of Trade. He had no doubt that such a board would be of great assistance and prove of advantage to tho various industries.

"We must not -allow' our industries to lag behind for want of skill which would be supplied by a board of this character,” said Mr. Lee? "We will have to bring in tho services of men and the services of the vast water power with which this country is tic favourably endowed. Only by the very test means will this pounfry be able to compete successfully with other countries in manufactured gopds."