PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23343, 11 May 1939, Page 16

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

CLAIMS ADVANCED IMPORTANCE TO DOMINION MR. MULHOLLAND'S COMMENTS [nv TKT.KfiHAPII —OWX OOUHKSPONT'iTCNT] PAT.MKRSTOX NORTH, AVcliiosrlay

About every second day there was a column in the newspapers of statements issued concerning the number of factories to be put here, there and everywhere, and the tremendous increase in manufacturing, and the suggestion behind those statements seemed to lie that the primary industries had become of secondary importance in New Zealand, said the president of the Xew Zealand Farmers' T'nion. Mr. AY. W. Mulholland, speaking to the Manawatu branch of the Farmers' Union, lfe thought that they had to stress very strongly that there was no correctness in any such assumption. lii the February issue of the Reserve Hank publication there was an analysis of imports 011 the basis of tlu» character of the goods imported, Mr. Mulholland continued. It had stated whether they were producers' goods, goods for capital purposes and goods that were finished consumers' goods. Of the total imports of £■">.000.000. £19,000,000 and some thousands of pounds were finished consumers' goods. If they counted in about £.'>.;>oo.ooo as unclassified, the rest, over £35.000,000. were for the purpose of producing goods and services in Xew Zealand. Now the position was that if-there was any diminution in the value of farm production, the manufacturers could not procure as much as they did last year. He was including purveyors of goods and services. Unless the farmer was enabled to carry on. the prospects were that- to talk about increasing manufacturing in Xew Zealand was all so much "hooey." Mr. Mulholland said he thought it right to say that some of the Ministers realised the position, and it was also fair to say that the rank and file of the party did not. After all, the Government' was ruled by the people behind it. and it was their duty to remember to bring the right influence to bear upon the Government.