PRINTING INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 12

PRINTING INDUSTRY

PLAN FOR STABILISATION LICENSING AUTHORITY PLEBISCITE OF EMPLOYERS The principle that no product shall be sold at less than the fail cost of production is the hnsis of a plan for tho stabilisation of the printing and allied industries in New Zealand that has been formulated by a committco of tho Federation of Master Printers, upon instructions by the last annual conference of the federation. The view of tho conference, which is reflected in tho committee's report, is that, since tho condition of the industry makes regulation necessary, the control should be exercised by a body representative of tho industry itself, and not by an external authority. The report proposes tho creation of a licensing authority constituted by Act of Parliament, but the committco explains that it docs not recommend coercive or restrictive methods. "On the contrary, the ultimate objective is to eliminate destructive and uneconomic practices without in any way restricting the field of initiative, efficiency in production, personal diligence and healthy competition," says the report. "The proposals are quite distinct from a measure savouring of State control. The committee has based its report on self-government of the industry by members of the industry, and its proposal is that the licensing authority shall consist of employing printers representative of the North and the South Island of New Zealand, elected by democratic methods by employers in the printing and allied industries." Principles-of Regulation Setting out the broad principles of regulation, the report says that at the outset every owner of a registered printing press and proprietor engaged in any section of the allied trades shail bo eligible to receive a licence. Every "owner of a licence will be required to keep in operation a standardised cost accounting system. To enable the printing industry to protect itself from ignorance and inadequate cost knowledge, and unfair competition, and to maintain fair values, no product shall be sold for less than the fair cost of production determined upon the principles of a standard cost accounting system approved b3 T the licensing authority. The committee also recommends that the legislation should provide that no State department, church, educational, charitable, welfare, or similar type of institution which is publicly endowed, or supported, in whole or in part, by contributions or which is exempt from the payment of any local or Government taxes whatsoever, shall sell the product of any printing plant which it may own, or control by trust, or operate in competition with commercial business enterprises manufacturing similar products. Future Procedure The sale and disposal of second-hand and obsolete printing machinery would be controlled by the licensing authority. The report of tho committee has been circulated among all proprietors of businesses coming within the scope of the proposals in New Zealand, with an invitation to them to express their opinions upon the proposals. If they are endorsed by a substantia! majority of employers representing collectively the major portion of the capital employed in the industry, a detailed scheme will be formulated for submission to Parliament.