LORD NUFFIELD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22963, 15 February 1938, Page 13

LORD NUFFIELD

[BRIEF AUCKLAND VISIT CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE SLUMP TALK DEPLORED INDUSTRIAL PROSPERITY For Viscount Nuffield, well-known British philanthropist and industrialist, New Zealand preserves all the charm and allure of which he has spoken in the past. Arriving in Auckland by the Awatea yesterday, he cheerfully observed as he was greeted on deck that he was travelling an extra six days for the sake of spending one day in shaking the hands of as many New Zealand friends as he could and of. again obtaining a glance at the Dominion before returning to England from the Australian anniversary celebrations. Informal and smiling, he was one of the most unassuming and best liked of the 450 passengers on the liner. Even as he obligingly posed for a photographer on the boat deck, several children pattered up to him, clasping his hands and greeting him with joyful affection. Finally, to their huge delight, he suggested that they should share the photograph with him.

"First-class Conditions" What he described as "firstr-class" industrial conditions in xho United Kingdom were subsequently discussed by Viscount Nuffield. Business in England, he said, was about as good as ever it had been and there was every hope for a continuation *of these prosperous conditions. Very little of the activity was due to the application of the rearmament scheme. One effect of the rearmament scheme had been the shortage of engineers, mechanics and skilled draughtsmen, and they were really waiting for these men to return to their normal occupations. Under such favourable conditions as those which ruled at present, there was every prospect of the good market continuing for New Zealand primary products in the United Kingdom.

A Steady Recovery Slump psychology has a ' vigorous critic in Viscount Nuffield; ncir does he agree with any attempt to designate the present period of industrial prosperity a boom. "In repeating; that industrial conditions are first-class," he observed, "I would suggest that the prospects for the future are equally aa good. I would not call it a boom, as conditions have been steadily improving since the war, but 70 per cent of the people think a stage has been reached when they should start to talk of a coming depression. It is foolish—any country that talks depr<sssion will get into it. And why shoiild they?"From an industrial point of view, the international situation did not appear disturbing. One could take little notice of the effects of international affairs on the stock exchange. In fact his experience had been that one could never take any cue from the money market. Crippled Children's Interest:; In view of the shortness c>f his stay in the Dominion, Lord Nuffield" will make no attempt to inspect the work Eerformed by means of the magnificent equests he made on his previous visit to the Dominion, However, he said he had been informed of the manner in which the money was used for the benefit of the crippled children and he was very satisfied with the way in which the fund had been handled and with the progress that had been made. Viscount Nuffield will return to Australia by the Awatea to-day and will visit Hobarfc before returning England. The prime purpose oi: his trip south was to attend the Australian anniversary celebrations, which he regards as a pronounced success. B!e said they should be a source oi! pride to the Commonwealth and to Sydney.