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Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1930, Page 4

Discussing the question of tiiiempldynieiit, the manufacturers’ conference in session at Wellington passed a renvit embodying the suggestion that the Government should be approached with a request fdr the establishment of a Development of Industries Board, The suggestion, of course, is not new; but it is one that should have been adopted* long ago. The manufacturers insist that the development of industry will do much io solve the unemployment problem, and this view is shared in other influential quarters. Public men whose opinions must he respected have made unequivocal statements in support of the manufacturing industries, and the volume of public opinion had grown so strong by the end of last year that the Government promised to have the various industries investigated bv a. Parliamentary committee. Then difficulties arose over the personnel, and in the end the committee did not sit. The result is that Parliament is not now fn possession of information that would have been extraordinarily useful to it. Wlmt is undoubtedly wanted is the Development of Industries Board which the manufacturers suggest. If tbh hoard he satisfactorily constituted, it will he able to determine what industries have the greatest future, and once 'these are found the Government should have no hesitation in giving them whatever measure of support is considered essential. There are industries that will prosper, and there are some that will not, and it would he obviously uneconomic to attempt to assist those from which there is no chance of obtaining an appreciable return. The essential information can only he secured after careful inquiry has been made, and no industrial investigation would be more valuable than that of experts. It can be had, considers the “Sun” of Christchurch, if the suggested board is established, and when industry means so much to the future of the Dominion the Government should not he laggard in taking steps which must lead to prosperity.