PROPER PLAN

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4812, 22 February 1936, Page 4

PROPER PLAN

FUTURE OF INDUSTRY. MINISTER'S DESIRE. Proper planning and organisation of secondary industries so that they may operate to the maximum advantage is the aim of the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), who, at a compliment-, ary luncheon tendered to him on Thursday by the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association, outlined tentatively the scheme he had in mind. “It appears absolutely necessary that we should create a form of organisation equipped with sufficient power to bring our manufacturers together, to enable industries to serve a very much larger purpose than they do at the present time,” he said “I want to create in New Zealand an organisation representative of manufacturers, of the workers, and of the public, as represented by the Minister or someone appointed by him, whose duty it will be to make a survey of the various districts of industry. Where an industry falls short of its best possibilities an endeavour will be made to see that where possible it shall employ a large number of people, yield a better product, supply it at a better price, pay better wages, and give a better return to the manufacture. If as a result of the survey it is found that the industry is not giving anything like the maximum amount of service to the country a further duty will be to carry the inquiry further, to see what is necessary to be done to enable it to give that larger and wider service to which I have referred.” Mr. Sullivan said he was anxious that voluntary support should be forthcoming as far as possible and that nothing in the way of a big stick should be used. If, after thorough investigation into the various phases of the question, there still remained a minor section who for their own purposes decided to remain outside, then it might be necessary to take further steps. They could not allow a small section to stand in the road and prevent the plan from being given effect to. “There are therefore two choices open in the conduct of industry—open competition, or regulation,” he continued. “Which are we to carry on under? It is the duty of the Government to guide industry for the benefit of the people as a whole, and this, under existing conditions, must mean regulation. Regulation of industry, by the Government, is, therefore, the first step in the desired planning of industry, and the Government, as you are aware, has already taken initial steps in regard to the wheat, flour, and bread industries, and the sale of petrol in. Wellington, so as to achieve stable prices in those industries and improve the conditions of the workers. Those have been urgent problems, and I am aware that there are many others which will need careful consideration. “The second step in the desired planning of industry is regulation by the industrial units themselves, and the consequent achievement of more co-ordinated production, distribution, and progress. The Government can only deal with national problems, and little progress can be achieved without the help and united effort of manufacturers and their workers.”