POST-WAR INDUSTRIES

Evening Star, Issue 25471, 30 April 1945, Page 7

POST-WAR INDUSTRIES

PREVIEW QF MANUFACTURERS' NEEDS QUESTIONNAIRE ISSUED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 29. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, announced to-day that the • Organisation for National Development was carrying out a survey of likely post-war developments in the manufacturing industries in.order to'assist in the formulation of measures designed to secure the successful transition from war-time to peace-time production, and to ensure that conditions of full employment will he facilitated after the war. " Whilst the information will be of the utmost assistance to the Government jn giving adequate consideration to the post-war requirements of the 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 which is so necessary in dealing with the whole problem of rehabilitation."

The Minister said that a questionnaire which had been posted to manufacturers asked for information about man ipower to assist mainly the Rehabilitation Department in its planning for the requirements of returning servicemen. Details of projects for new buildings for private industrial undertakings had been requested to assist the Ministry of Works in planning construction activities.

In the scheme of priorities for building materials which would be necessary during the early post-war period, it was essential that provision should be made for industrial buildings. If manufacturers would co-operate "by providing the information asked for, an endeavour would be made to ensure that the capital expenditure plans of the public authorities and business interests did not corflict and that the demand for constructional labour* and for various classes of building materials was not out of balance with the available supplies. " Information is also asked," the Minister said, " regarding proposals for the importation of new plant and machinery to ensure that an adequate proportion of the overseas funds is earmarked for necessary machinery to enable post-war industrial reconstruction and expansion to proceed with promptitude." Mr Sullivan added that the information would be treated as strictly confidential. and would he 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. The statistical work will be carried out 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."