POPULACE AND PRODUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23162, 7 October 1938, Page 15

POPULACE AND PRODUCTION

Sir, —When the Labour Government assumed office they claimed that they were out to build up further industrial enterprise in New Zealand. It is apparently true we now have more fac- - tories, having forced all one-man power operators to register, Whereas these were frequently exempted, and as a result of increasod value realised by our primary exports there has been in circulation a much greater volume of purchasing po'wer and a greater con- ■ sumption, not only of imported goods, but of local manufacture, and therefore more operatives employed. But as New Zealand never has, nor can, export industrial manufactures, oven of locally-prbduced raw products, owing to excessive costs, it is apparent - that the one way which we can bujld up our factory production is to increase our population, and thus produco tho volume necessary to mako our manufacturing units more economic. New Zealand has been built np by and rests on its primary producer, and our ono hope of maintaining and increasing our industrial population is to increase our country producers. To do this, greater incentive to go into and remain in the country must be offered. Tho Labour Government has done nothing in this direction. Land development has ceased and must become more and moro unpopular while Governmental efforts are devoted entirely to tho spoon-feeding of the industrial 'employee and the labour unions. . Towns population must automatically increase, and in larger proportion, by building up more primary production. Failing that, local costs of industrial manufacture must bo reduced, or New Zealand's population increase will cense. / We are not now finding productive outlets for employment of all our labouring population, and cannot possibly continue to sink capital in such works as tho railways, which are now being constructed, for tho purpose of providing maintenance for our surplup labour. Over 20,000 men are engaged on works which can never provide a return by way of interest on capital, but both our road, works and railway construction must be a continuous liability in maintenance. The only justification advanced for completion of main lino railways now being constructed is that several millions have already been sunk in them. Could any policy be more idiotic or unbusinesslike? Industrialist.