INDUSTRIES CONTROL

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1936, Page 5

INDUSTRIES CONTROL

MR SULLIVAN’S INTIMATION [PEK PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 10. “If a minority in an industry stands out seeking its own selfish ends, then ~ we will het hesitate to use compulsion on that minority to make it adopt a scheme which we know is for the benefit of the community as a whole.” Hon. D.G. Sullivan, Minister for Industries and Commerce, made this statement in his address at the openc ing of the Winter Show on Saturday j. evening. He was speaking of the , Government’s intention to increase co- ’’ ordination in New Zealand industries, saying that a hill was being prepared to that end. The Minister's remark qualified an assurance that the Government had no intention of using the “big stick - ’ to compel maufacturers to join in a co-ordination scheme. The Gov- _ ernment desired to take the manu- [ facturers with it, indicating to them the advantages of such a scheme. “I think that when the bill becomes law we will get the greatest (assistance from the manufacturers,” he

said. “I have discovered that, a ver) large number of our industries art in a state of muddle bordering or chaos. - ’ said Mr. Sullivan. “We havt got to resort much more than in past .'ears to methods of co-ordina tion. The Government has dctne something by establishing prices in certain industries, but we have only touched the fringe of the problem. We have got to go much further. 'We have a small country’, and our goods are produced in scores while they’ arc in competition with goods produced in millions abroad. We have got to get co-ordination.’’ Co-ordination was one of three developments emphasised by’ Mr. Sullivan. The others were the application of science in industry, and the “standards’’ movement. “If I had my way’ I would see that research associations were set up in every important industry’,’’ he said. “In every association there would be continuous research work on materials and methods, making available to the industry all that science can give. I am pleased to he able to say that the provision made by the Government to meet research requirements exceeds in ratio the increase allowed to any other department of State. We have a few associations now and. as I say. provision has been made for similar associations in other industries. I hope the industries will meet their share of the cost. The Government will do its share.” The “standards” movement had not received in New Zealand the attention given to it in other countries, said the Minister. Its purpose was to eliminate waste caused by the multiplication of types and ideas, by laying down good specifications in each industry. Twenty-two countries —whatever the form of government, capitalist or socialist—had realised that it was impossible to build or maintain a successful industrial country without a system of standards. “I am looking for a great extension of the standards movement in New Zealand,” Mr. Sullivan added. “The Government realises the necessity, and recently a standards section has been created in the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.” An assurance that the Government was going to make a thorough investigation of the effects of new legislation on costs in industry was given by the Minister. The investigation was in the hands of a committee representing the Department of Industries and Commerce and the Customs Department, Mr. Sullivan said, and a report would he made recommending any action which might be necessary. “Some of the manufacturers may he thinking of increased costs," he said. “You will he glad to know that a procedure has been found to meet the situation. “All the high faintin’ talk about developing secondary industries will be useless if there is no market. We cannot develop industries out of thin air. It is because the Government realises that the first essential is a market that it has carried out its policy of increasing wages.”