FORD MOTOR WORK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 111, 12 April 1937, Page 2

FORD MOTOR WORK

NEW FACTORY AT LOWER HUTT. OPENED BY HON. R. SEMPLE. Congratulations to the directors upon their judgment and foresight in butluing a factory which represented another milestone along the road to complete industrial aim economic development in New Zealand were extenued by the Minister ot Transport, lion. It. Semple, when he officially opened on April 7 the new assembly plant at Lower Hutt of the Ford Motor Company of New Zealand, Ltd. Almost every section of the business community was represented at the ceremony, over which Mr G. H. Jackson, managing director ot the company, presided. Ministers of the Crown who were present in addition to Mr Semple were Hon. F. Langstone, Minister of Lands, and Hon. H. G. R. Mason, Attorney-General. Mr Jackson, who welcomed the visitors, read a cablegram from the president of the Canadian Ford Motor Company, Mr W. R. Campbell. It was as follows : “Heartiest greetings to all on occasion of official opening new Ford assembly plant at Lower Hutt. Investment of £400.000 in facilities for building and servicing Ford products is best evidence our faith in the .future of New Zealand. The desire lor industrial expansion in your Dominion has necessitated establishment Ford enterprise. Our sincere wishes for success to you all.” The new building, said Mr Jackson. completed the British Empire chain of Ford factories. It contained the latest ideas and was thoroughly up-to-date in every way. The factory had actually been operating since October last, but now that all the equipment had been installed it was possible to gauge what was being attempted in New Zealand. The expenditure by the company bad been substantial. So far just under halt a million pounds had been spent in the Dominion. Included in that sum were wages, materials, transport costs, insurance charges and taxes. STAFF OF GSO. The number of men employed in the factory on production work was over 600, the total number on the staff being about 650. At present the wage bill was over £17,000 a month. The plant had been designed to produce five finished units in one hour.. At the moment one complete unit being turned out every 15 minutes. It was a matter of satisfaction to the company, that only New Zealand labour was employed in that work. _ It had not been found necessary to import men to do the job. It was pleasing to record that the New Zealand workers were doing all that was required of them; they had adapted themselves to the company’s methods and were giving first-class service. Mr Jackson said that the building had been designed in order to give the men the best possible working conditions. The motto of the company was safety first, and every precaution had been* taken to see that the machinery was absolutely safe. Thanks were due to the staff and to all who had helped to bring the new works into being. The spirit displayed throughout the whole organisation was wonderful. MINISTER’S TRIBUTE.

On behalf of tho directors, Mr Jackson presented Mr Semple with a gold key as a memento of the occasion. The Minister, in replying, expressed his appreciation at having been asked to declare the new factory’ officially open. He had had an opportunity of inspecting the works recently, and was deeply impressed with what lie had seen. Situated in ideal surroundings, it was really a model factory, and it seemed to him that the comfort of the workers had been made the first consideration. That was something worth while. “Happv surroundings breed happy folk, and happy folk are always contented,” said the Minister. “That lesson is manifest in this factory. Cleanliness is apparent in a most picturesque fashion.” He was glad to hear Mr Jackson say that the New Zealand workmen measured up to those in any other country. He had always maintained that, given the opportunity. Now Zealand workers were competent to hold their own with the best in the world. Facts showing the growth of the motor industry in New Zealand were cited by the Minister. The number of cars in New Zealand in 1914 was 20,000, in 1925 123,000, in 1930 195,000, in 1935, 214,000, and at the end of last year 241,915. “As far as we, Slave been able to ascertain 118 additional cars are going on the road every day in New Zealand,” said Mr Semple. The cost of vehicles imported into the Dominion in 1936 was £3,550,000; the annual cost of the operation of all vehicles was over £30,000,000. The number of persons engaged in the motor industry was estimated at 50,000, with a wages bill of at least £10,000,000 a year. Users of motor vehicles paid in direct taxation over £6,000,000 SECOND ONLY TO U.S.A. The motor industry, said Mr Semple, had not only revolutionised the transport system, but it had also revolutionised methods of road construction. In 1925 New Zealand had 700 miles of paved roads and in 1935 3000 miles. In 1925 there were 25.000 miles of metalled roads, and in 1935 37,000. New Zealand was now the second most highly-motorised country in the world, beTng second only to the United States of America. . A , .. „ , Mr Semple congratulated tho Ford company upon its enterprise in New Zealand. “We welcome you here,” he added “We are delighted with the results so far, we arc glad to know that our workers are giving satisfaction, and we wish you every success. The visitors, who numbered nearly 300 were shown over the factory and later entertained at afternoon tea.