LOCATIONS FOR INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23428, 18 August 1939, Page 8

LOCATIONS FOR INDUSTRY

The various local organisations which recently proclaimed their interest in plans for advancing Auckland's claims as a centre of future industrial development have given little sign as yet of their desire to show forth their faith in their works. This is a pity, for it would be hard to imagine any more opportune time than the present for the active prosecution of a campaign designed to impress on industrialists the advantages of the Auckland metropolitan area in the provision of factory sites and facilities. The city is ideally placed as the centre of the largest, wealthiest and most populous district in the Dominion, and, even though it is some distance removed from the geographical centre of New Zealand, the population ti-end is still toward the north. At present the most active centre of industrial development is Wellington and particularly that busy area comprising the boroughs cjf Petorie and Lower Hutt. But there are definite limits to progress in this locality, chief among them being the comparative lack of suitable building sites. Wellington is ringed /in with >hills and thus there are natural restrictions both on land for factory sites and on land required for the erection of dwellings to house additional factory workers. Difficulties in this direction are stressed by Mr. W. H. P. Barber, chairman of directors of the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, who has pointed out to shareholders that the Petone-Hutt district is becoming over-industrial-ised for its! population. Such barriers to expansion do not exist in Auckland, which has large areas available for factory sites handy to i both harbour and railway, with ample room in addition for comfortable residential development. Here, then, is an opportunity for Auckland to make its case heard, and interested citizens who are prepared to plead that case should be assured of the active support of all local bodipk and other organisations. i