FLIGHT OF ORDERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 132, 1 December 1936, Page 8

FLIGHT OF ORDERS

INDUSTRY PERTURBED

EFFECT OF HIGHER COSTS

Anxiety about the flight of manufacturing orders overseas was expressed by the* president of the Wellington Manufacturers' Association (Mr. Lan Matheson) at the annual meeting of the association last night. "Undoubtedly," he said, "manufacturers are experiencing much better trading conditions than they have for many a long day, and it is to be earnestly hoped that no ray of gloom will appear during the coming year. ior this reason it is- particularly distasteful to me to have to express considerate concern at the rate at which orders are now going to overseas producers because of the increased cost of producing in New Zealand. The Government has expressed its intention to deal with this question on the completion of the present negotiations being carried out in London by the Hon. A . "One would have felt happier had the Government shown greater activity in preventing the orders leaving New Zealand. I fear it relies too much on the fact that New Zealand factories are now very full of work. I also fear that by the time the adjustment in cost is effected by the Government, many a bench in New Zealand will be vacant for want of an order that has gone overseas in the meantime."