MOST USEFUL INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 104, 4 May 1937, Page 10

MOST USEFUL INDUSTRIES

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Referring to "Simon Major's" letter regarding useful industries, I take it he is including all secondary industries as being unable to exist without the assistance from taxation. Is taxation something that only New Zealand enforces? Could the "foundation industries" of New Zealand exist today without the assistance from taxation? Has not the time arrived when it is realised more so than ever before that the primary and secondary industries should 6e more evenly balanced, and so make New Zealand automatically become self-supporting and more independent of the Home markets. This is also of vital importance today in view of the unsettled conditions of many of the greater nations of the world. Your correspondent also refers to the artificial selling price of these useful industries. If he were to deduct anything according to the article from 25 per cent, to 100 per cent, for passing over the counter, he may realise that the manufacturer does not control the selling price of which he is so much conlerned.

In conclusion I would like to ask "Simon Major" if all these useful (or useless) industries were scrapped, would it be beneficial or not to the country to place the thousands of secondary workers producing more butter and meat, in face of the fact that Britain already finds it hard to dispose of the present quantities. Also, the British Government is carrying out a policy for increasing British primary production, which must be a direct threat to the New Zealand producer.— I am, etc.,

CO-OPERATOR.