A HUGE ENTERPRISE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 21 October 1929, Page 6

A HUGE ENTERPRISE

INTERESTING INSPECTION BY NEWSPAPER MEN REMARKS BY MINISTER OF INDUSTRIES Upon file occasion of the conference- of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association, in Wellington, the opportunity was taken by General Motors New Zealand Limited, of entertaining the visiting delegates at their I'etone Works. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Industries and Commerce, also honoured General Motors witli his presence, and at the conclusion of the trip through the factory Mr Cobbe delivered an address to the Press men, eulogising the contribution of General Motors New Zealand Limited to the economic development, of New Zealand. The visitors were first shown the operation of unboxing a cased car, that is a car that has been completely assembled in the country of manufacture and imported, with only tho wheels taken off and springs tied down. They were then shown completely over the factory where some 0,000 odd operations are performed by some 500 New Zealanders in building the. New Zealand made General Motors Cars. This is the first time that Mr Cobbe

[has visited the Petono Plant and he expressed great surprise and interest at the enormous amount of work performed : the consumption of local materials and the largo number of New Zealanders happily employed. Mr Cobbe stated "I am most gratified to see the use of New Zealand made materials, i.e., upholstery, timber, varnishes, glues, literature, etc., that is being absorbed by this model 'factory. "I had no conception of the enormous amount of work that is performed in the manufacture, of New Zealand made bodies, together with the fine hardworking army' of New Zealanders who are skilfully performing the innumerable operations, bub I also look upon this factory from another standpoint, that is that these employees and their dependents are creating a large local market for our primary products. They are consuming New Zealand butter, cheese and meat, and I consider that local markets are the best markets for our primary products."

Mr Cobbe also stated that New Zealand was,, fortunate in having a man of Mr Forman's calibre in such a responsible position, as he has New Zealand welfare very much at heart, and has the power to do a great deal for subsidiary secondary industries. It was due to Mr Forman's initiative that General Motors New Zealand Limited was consuming more and more local material every month, and manufacturers should not hesitate to follow the same policy of purshasing local materials wherever quality and price allow. Mr Cobbe concluded his remarks by congratulating General Motors on their splendid factory and asked the press men to join with him in thanking Mr McHardy Forman for the instructive and interesting programme arranged for them.