DIFFERENT ASPECTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 108, 10 May 1939, Page 5

DIFFERENT ASPECTS

SHOP AND FACTORY

REPLY BY MR. BISHOP 6

A reply was made today by Mr. T. O. Bishop, secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailers, to the statements made by Mr. W. H. Stevens, president of the Wellington Manufacturers' Association, and Mr. R. O'Shea, general secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, criticising Mr. Bishop's remarks during Friday's deputation by the New Zealand Federation of Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailers .to the Prime Minister on the subject of import restrictions.

"Both the retailers, for whom I acted at Friday's deputation to Ihe Prime Minister, and I myself." said Mr. Bishop, "are heartily iri accord with the opinion expressed by Mr. Stevens that NeAV Zealand at present faces so many difficulties that all sections of the people should co-operate to the fullest extent to overcome them. 1 can assure Mr. Stevens and the manufacturers of New Zealand that no one either intended to belittle and misrepresent manufacturers, or indeed did so, outside the imagination of his advisers. On the contrary, the statement to the Prime Minister contained an assurance of good will towards manufacturers and a promise to assist the expansion of New Zealand industries as far as lay within the power of the retailers.

"But it must not be overlooked that the impact of the import restrictions falls very much more heavily upon the importer section of traders than upon manufacturers, and, therefore, the latter should; not object to those Avho are very hard hit endeavouring to secure some relief for themselves. That was all the retailers were trying to do on Friday, and in doing so they stated only facts, of which they had abundant evidence. They did not belittle anyone, nor was anyone castigated, as alleged by Mr. O'Shea.

"In last night's 'Post' Mr. O'Shea repeats the mischievous assertion that I 'publicly castigated the manufacturing industries of the Dominion.' He repeats it, although he now knows that the Avhole statement to the Prime bMinister Avas prepared by a committee of retailers. I think that indicates some sort of inability on his part to see straight. That my retaliation to his first attack upon me should be regarded as 'personal,' while his attack should be considered impersonal, apparently because it was anonymous while mine was open, betrays a little unconscious humour. Humorous also is his use of the word 'charitable.'

"All that is necessary is that he should think straight and refrain from attempting, to create in the minds of manufacturers a sense of grievance for which there is not the slightest justification."