SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 63, 12 February 1936, Page 6

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

One of the immediate plans envisaged by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in a statement issued the other day is “Development of secondary industries and expansion of existing industries under economic organisation.” It is not easy to gather from this what is meant and what is intended. It is a bald statement, and reminds us of a similar suggested development which appeared in the Budgets of the late Mr It. don.? Under the caption of “Beet Sugar Industry” there was favourable reference to the industry and a subsidy tagged to it, biit the beet sugar industry still lingers in the hereafter. Industries that are worth while, that are economic and suited to the country, do not need to be interfered with by the Government, for private enterprise, always on the look out for a “gainful” job, would soon have such an industry in operation. 'There are "three factors. There must be the scope for a new industry, there must be capital to venture in the industry, and there must be confidence to accept the risks of the venture, and the greatest of these three is confidence. Industries are never started by governments but by individuals, and the motive actuating the individual is gain or profit, which is natural Governments are actuated by a zealous altruism, or so-called social service. In any economic organisation of an industry, labour and wages come into the picture, and form no small part of it. With a short work-week and long wages the economic aspect becomes a myth. The Minister of Public Works, Hon. It. Semple, and the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, have been doing some excellent propaganda, but neither lias answered the question that many people are asking: “Where is the monev coming from?” Mr Semple, said in Auckland that money does not grow on mulberry bushes, but a good many people were under the impression that the National Credit Authority was to provide the money service. Nothing has been heard of this authority since the election campaign.