Mr Masters Appeals for Sane Balancing of Primary and Secondary Industries

Evening Star, Issue 21720, 15 May 1934, Page 7 (Supplement)

Mr Masters Appeals for Sane Balancing of Primary and Secondary Industries

“I cannot subscribe to the view that one part of the Empire should remain a huge farm and another part a great industrial workshop.”

Mr Masters, Minister of Industries and ComnVcrec, writes; — As. the manufacturing interests form an important part of our national life, it is my desire and purpose, as Minister of Industries and Commerce, to see them develop on sound economic linos. On this basis I can with confidence support the Dunedin, manufacturers’ efforts to stimulate public interest in the

many and varied products of our factories. The adoption of economic nationalism, which is becoming the definite policy of many nations today, raises a problem of how long New Zealand can be content to remain essentially an agricultural producing country. 'As each nation by the adoption of quota restrictions and tariff barriers becomes more self-supporting, and plans at supplying all' its needs within its own borders, so will the demand for our primary products diminish. This leads to a consideration on the part of our nationally-minded citizens of the necessity of stimulating our manufacturing industries with a view to providing employment for our people and at the same time providing consumers for tlie products of our primary industries. I cannot subscribe to the view that one part of the Empire ■should remain a huge farm and an- | other part a great industrial workshop. Each part of the Empire is entitled to develop, and should develop firstly its raw materials, and secondly any other industry which can operate on an economic and competitive basis. ' It is not suggested that protection should be given to industries which arc uneconomic and noncompetitive. Such a course is /unwise' and deprives our customers in the United Kingdom of trade that is helpful to them. Under present economic conditions ■■ each citizen has a duty to his fellow-citizens who, through no fault of their own, are unemployed. It is possible in a very easy but no less practical manner to render a duty to our fellow-worker by purchasing wherever possible the products of our own factories, for in so doing we provide an avenue for employment. In quality and workmanship the goods made in this country compare vfry favourably with similar goods imported, and I therefore confidently appeal lo the citizens of Dunedin in their own interests to support the manufactur-' ing industries- by buying wherever possible New Zcaland-rnadc goods.