CRISIS REACHED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22198, 7 December 1946, Page 8

CRISIS REACHED

FACTS FOR PUBLIC

MANUFACTURERS' ALARM

Serious dislocation of production and an accentuation of local shortages m supply of consumer goods throughout New Zealand are envisaged by the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation resulting from the delays and difficulties which exist in shipping goods from port to port within New Zealand. “Tlie whole question was discussed at a meeting of flic Council of the Federation this • week.” stated Mr. W. J. Truscott. president of the federation to-day. “Manufacturers are seriously disturbed over the very substantial tonnage of manufactured goods which is lying in our various factories and stores throughout Now Zealand awaiting shipment. Evidence available to (he federation council showed us that thousands of New Zealanders in one centre or other are going without goods which are already produced, but cannot reach the public purely because of the inadequacy of coastal shipping. "The situation is critical and with (lie advent of the produce and harvest season is likely to become more critical. Our federation feels that Ihe general public of New Zealand just does not realise how serious it is.

“Storage problems involved are also such as to be embarrassing to some of our members whose demands for snipping space arc far beyond the capacity of our existing shipping facilities. Raw materials to maintain producton are also held up. thus prejudicing output and the continuous employment in hundreds of factories, and detracting from efficiency. “The federation is not endeavouring to attach blame to anyone, but impes oy stating the facts which I have given to bring Jhe problem into proper locus as one of our greatest internal difficulties. An increased quantity of goods, reduced available tonnage, a slow turnround. and now a 40-hour week make a position which is galling to manufacturers.

“The federation proposes to survey the position in more detail with a view to putting proposals before .the Government or the shipowners, and in the meantime is also investigating the trans-Tasman shipping position, which is serious, especially in maintaining supplies of factory raw materials.”