LOCAL INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 61, 14 March 1927, Page 8

LOCAL INDUSTRY

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In his last communication your correspondent, Mr. W. Maddison, opens up many points, but, with your kind indulgence, only one point will be dealt with, on this occasion. The second question referred to what was described as "the" natural balance between primary and secondary industries and the proportion o£ the population that could be employed ia them." The considered reply of Mr. Maddison states "approximately 35 per cent., certainly not less than 33 per cent, should be engaged in primary industry." * Your correspondent showed that the proportion had declined from 28 per cent, in 1596 to 22 per cent, in 1916, and there has beeo. a further decline sinte then. The following are taken from official figures for 1926:—Agricultural and pastoral 20 per cent., dairying 22 per cent., miningand fishing 3 per cent., manufacturing industries 24 per cent.; Government employees 25 per cent., local bodies 6 per cent, of a total of 335,449 persons. Very few persons seem to realise that machinery has changed primary industries just as much at it has changed the condition in the manufacturing industries. la the last fifty years there has been more progress in farming methods than in the previous 5000 years. Specialisation on wheat growing farms in Canada and in. U.b.A. run on modern commercial methi ods, now demands the attention of tha farmer for ten weeks only ia each year. In New Zealand the Government Statistician records the fact that in five year 3 electric motors on New Zealand farms have increased sevenfold; in two years tractors have nearly doubled, in the last four years 9000 less persons are engaged iv farming.

In nine years the value o£ factory products have increased over £41,000,000 with.' an increase of some 22,000 employees. la the period that 9000 persons ceased farming, 10,000 more were engaged in the manufacturing industries. The proportion oE Government employees is probably unique. Permanent employees number 56,356, temporary employees 25,491—a total of 81,847 V persons. This means over 15,000 mor<S than the number engaged in agricultural and pastoral farms and 1500 more than those engaged in the manufacturing industries. ' Of the £50,000,000 of goods imported in 1926 it has been estimated that £25,000j00<> could be produced in New- Zealand. If this was made possible by a policy of real protection, then another 15,000 to 20,000 persons would be provided with employment, without displacing a single individual engaged in primary production, but would considerably affect the proportion or percentage. , With all respect it is submitted that there is no natural balance; the ratio or proportion is constantly changing, and the line of demarcation is becoming more di* ficulfc every day. The idea of clashing interests so far as primary and secondary; industries are concerned is mere tradition.' The real interests are mutual. Farming is now largely a series of specialised sections, and the farmer is dependent on the secondary industries for his thousand and one necessities and requirements.—l anu etc., . CHARLES J. WARD. ■ 14th March. ■ . .