WAKE UP!

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 4

WAKE UP!

ROTARIAN'S STIRRING ADDRESS FOSTER OUR INDUSTRIES GET OFF RUNNING BOARD Filling a gap at the weekly meeting of the Auckland Rotary Club Mr James Fletcher, chairman of directors of Fletcher Construction Co., delivered a scathing indictment against people in authority over their attitude to secondary industries. He spared no section, and his fellow Rotarians wcro included in the censure meted out (reports the "Star"). Starting with the Government, tho speaker criticised the half-hearted attempts that wcro made to assist manufacturing industries, and contrasted them with efforts made and the money spent with the object of stimulating primary production. Merchants were attacked, the speaker declaring that they did not give proper assistance to local industries, being too much concerned in obtaining profits from the sale of imported goods. Capital, Mr Fletcher contended, had a duty to the community, and investors should be prepared to invest their money in properly conceived industrial enterprises. They would lend their money on flats and offices, but a really deserving manufacturing concern could not obtain proper support. In this connection, stock brokers were also criticised, on the general grounds that they either opposed or damned with faint praise any industrial project brought before them by interested clients.

At the present lime, said Mr Fletcher, the average remark made in business circles was: "Business is bad. We're in for a hard winter." Ho declaimed strongly against such a pessimistic outlook. Any difficulties we had were avoidable. Our industries were sick because of inefficiency. When a car had to cross a stream and the engine stalled, people were wanted who would not stop on tlie running board, but who would jump into the stream and give a push. That was what was wanted in Now Zealand to-day. Our public men, our merchants and our professional men must get off the running board and give a push. Our workers were as good as any in the world and there was no sound reason why we should send our hides away to other countries and import, as wo do, two pairs of boots for every person in the Dominion. What had been called secondary industries had not received the attention they merited _ from Parliament or the general public. > Primary industries must progress coincident with secondary industries, which after all provided work for the masses of the people. Mr Fletcher's remedies were drastic. He said lie would scrap the existing Government institutions which professed to deal with this subject and institute a new one, not political in administration, and well equipped with funds to cany out its work. Such a department would investigate from the business and scientific all branches of manufacturing industries. It would inspect costing systems of individual firms and give advice where needed. All matters of organisation would be carefully gone into. It would take an active part in the promotion of mergers where these seemed to be necessary, and would financially assist the rationalisation of our industries. Through its aid enterprises would be set up with their layout properly conceived, and up-to-date, efficient machinery taking the place of all that was obsolete.

The health. and well being of the employees would also come within the scope of its activities. This would prove a great factor in the cure of the unemployment difficulty. A successful and efficiently managed business progressed. Workers need never fear an efficient undertaking. Instancing this point Mr Fletcher mentioned that his firm had occasion to take over a marble manufacturing concern. Having done so they introduced the latest machinery, but far from displacing workers the net result was that double the number were employed, this being due to the increased turnover that had become possible. The speaker quoted several important lines which he claimed should be wholly manufactured in Now Zealand instead of being imported as at present. Concluding a stirring appeal, Mr Fletcher said that industry in New Zealand was sick because of the antiquated methods adopted. The cure was not a raised tariff but the medicine of effiiciency.