INDUSTRIAL SURVEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 100, 30 April 1945, Page 4

INDUSTRIAL SURVEY

POST-WAR NEEDS

CO-OPERATION SOUGHT

P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 29. The Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) announced today that the Organisation for National Development was carrying out a survey of likely postwar developments in the manufacturing industries in order to assist in the formulation of measures designed to secux-e the successful transition from wartime to peacetime production and to ensure that conditions of full employment would be facilitated after the war.

"While information will be of the utmost assistance to the Government in giving adequate consideration to post-war requirements of secondary industries," Mr. Sullivan said, "it is considered that manufacturers will fully appreciate the extent to which their individual interests can be safeguarded by providing the "Government With the comprehensive information so necessary in dealing with the whole problem of rehabilitation.

"A questionnaire which has.been posted to manufacturers asks for information about man-power to assist the Rehabilitation Department in its planning for the requirements of returning servicemen. Details of projects for new buildings for private industrial undertakings have been requested to assist the Ministry of Works- in planning construction activities. In the scheme of priorities for building materials which will be necessary during the early post-war period it is essential that provision be made for industrial buildings* If manufacturers will co-operate by providing the information asked for an endeavour will be mfede to ensure that the capital expenditure plans of public authorities and business interests do not conflict and that the demand for constructional labour and for various classes of building materials is not out of balance with available supplies. "Information ij asked regarding proposals for the importation of new plant and machinery to ensure that an adequate proportion of overseas funds is earmarked for the necessary machinery to enable post-war industrial reconstruction and expansion to proceed with promptitude. The information will be treated as strictly confidential and will be used only for the purposes referred to above."

The survey is being carried out in collaboration with the industrial development committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Sullivan, and in cooperation with the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation. Statistical work will be carried but by the central office of the Organisation for National Development.

"The co-operation of all concerned with the present survey is confidently anticipated," said Mr. Sullivan, "in view of the importance of this information in the co-ordination of post-war readjustments."