NEW INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Issue 86, 11 April 1936, Page 14

NEW INDUSTRIES

GOVERNMENT PLANS

ASSISTANCE GIVEN

IRON AND STEEL WORKS

Investigations are well under way by the Government for the development of New Zealand's natural resources, and already much ground has been covered by a committee of Departmental officers, which has carried out a detailed examination into a number of avenues likely to lead to increased employment. The subjects to which this committee has been devoting its attention include the iron and steel industry at Onekaka, the establishment of a rubber tire industry, the expansion of tobacco growing, reef mUning as opposed to grub staking, sugar beet growing, tung oil, wood pulp industry, further use of New Zealand flax in the expansion of the wool pack industry, increased land development, and investigation into natural resources, such as cinnabar. The committee also has under consideration the seeking of the help of local bodies in placing more men in industry. RUBBER TIRE INDUSTRY. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong)1 stated today that already extensive assistance had been given to several industries, including flax milling, and some thousands of pounds had been expended in assisting the iron and steel industry at Takaka. "We have almost finalised the establishment of a rubber tire industry," he added. |

It was expected that the Employment Promotion Bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon, would have provided for the establishment of a Bureau .of Industry Actually, the work of such a bureau has been carried out by a departmental committee during the last few months. It is now proposed, however, to have the Bureau of Industry set up as a statutory body under legislation which the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) is expected to have before the House in the near future, and for that reason the establishment of the bureau was dropped from the Employment Promotion Bill. The view is taken that the Minister of Indus-' tries and Commerce is the most appropriate Minister to have direct control of development work of an industrial character, but under his legislation opportunity will be provided for the Minister of Labour, whose Department controls employment, to work in cooperation. WORK PROMOTION BILL. It is expected that when the House resumes on Thursday next, the Em-, ployment Promotion Bill will be proceeded with, but it is gathered that there will be no steps taken to secure the urgent passage of the measure. It is interesting to observe that one effect of the Employment Promotion Bill will be to cancel the office of the Minister of Employment. The duties formerly undertaken by this Minister will in future be taken over by the Minister of Labour, and as Mr. Armstrong holds both offices there will be no alteration from an administrative point of view. The Civil List does not provide for a Ministry of Employment,, and, so no question arises as to a vacancy in Cabinet.

Other legislation which the Minister of Labour has ready to submit to the House includes amendments to the Shops and Offices and Factories Acts, Workers' Compensation, and a Bill dealing with farm 'labour. The Minister has a Bill drafted dealing with apprentices, but he remarked dryly today that the Bill did not please him nor anybody , else. He indicated that, the matter would be left over in the meantime till the interested parties had been consulted further on the subject.