N.Z. INDUSTRIES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 28 October 1921, Page 7

N.Z. INDUSTRIES

STIRRING APPEAL BY PRIME

MINISTER

(by tbijEguai*ij --rmiss- association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 27.

A stirring appeal on behalf of the Industries of Now Zealand, was made 'by tho Prime-Minister, in-'-'it.1 speech uc tho opening of tho "Made m Mew Zealand" exhibition. They had arrived at a stage in the country's history when ft was becoming imperative to niako the best* use of raw materials, "When wool dropped, depression followed, but he did not think it was going to Jast long. Ho had had a remarkable number of inquiries for our wool products, especially rugs, in the United States^, Canada, and Britain., New Zealand blankbts were also in great demand,, and there was just as good clothing made in New from our own wool as was made in any other country. Binder twine was needed in largo quantities in Canada and the United States wheat growing countries. Tallow went to the end of the world and back in the shape of soap. "If we are going to encourage secondary industries tho people must stand behind them. There is enough coal in the country to1 keep tho largest population New Zealand will carry for a ftiousand years. I hope wo will be able to got all the coal we requiro from our own mines. Wo have-not been particularly successful in the manufacture of iron, but the quality of iron here is as good ns in any other country, and millions or i tons of ironsand was available. "People arc apt to forget' trade with Cook Islands and Samoa in this connection. They produced copra, whose market was chiefly found in America. It was very cheap just now, and he would like to see established a process for tretating it, extracting tho oil and putting tho by-products to profitable commercial use. When it. became necessary to go outside New Zealand for . goods, let us give proferenco' to our follow citizens of the Empire. Anottier industry tTiat- should do. well hsro waß that of making linseed oil. Imports of~voollen goods amounted to. £1,793,049, and leather goods to £242,1282 and we were exporting great quantities of raw material. " Ho could.. nQt^ understand why Now Zealand, did not go m more for the leather industry. Hon. Lee, Minister of Industries and Commerce, spoke of tho opera' tions'of the Board .of Trade in cooperation with the manufacturers of the. Dominion with a view to demonstrating Now Zealand's ability in production. The output from manufactures in 1896 totalled £5,817,648, and in 1920 it totalled £¥0,920,232. and! the capital employed in 1896* was! £4,850,960, and it now was £26,445,----780. '