SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

Evening Star, Issue 24297, 11 September 1942, Page 2

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

DEVELOPMENT IN COUNTRY TOWNS POSSIBILITIES DISCUSSED BY MINISTER (Special.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. The possibility of establishing ■secondary industries in country towns is visualised by tin: .Minister of Housing (the Hon. if. T, Armstrong) in planning a programme of house building after the war. This, he pointed out in an interview, could be worked in connection with the Government’s policy of fostering secondary industries, lleferring to same of the advantages 'ikelv to accrue from .such a policy, the Minister said that diving and working conditions, especially for families, could ho much’ bettor in smaller towns. Surroundings would bo more healthy and travel oasior, allowing workers to go homo for lunch, while recreation facilities would bo much hotter, and tho cost of living lower. “ Allvantages to the manufacturer,” said Mr Armstrong, “ include lower cost of land, reduced overhead and maintenance, and more stable labour conditions, resulting in more skilled and contented staffs. In some cases transport costs could he reduced by proximity to source of raw materials and ease'of access to the rail.” “ Tho development of secondary towns on these lines,” the Minister added, “ would help to stem the flow of population to tho largo cities. Factory labour recruited from a rural community would retain its contact with tho laud, to which it would ho liable to return if tho farm required it. This would be a valuable safeguard to tho farming industry on which this country primarily depends. The development of these towns would enable more of tho amenities of tho metropolis to he available to the rural community, a further safeguard against the drift to the cities.”