In The Factories

NZ Truth, Issue 873, 19 August 1922, Page 1

In The Factories

One striking instance of the absor-, ption of our returned soldiers was afforded m the 1920-21 period, when the number of workers m -the factories of the Dominion increased by over eleven thousand. It is very gratifying r-to find, m view of the general trade depression m the past year, that this number has-been increased by another four .hundred; and that there are 352 more- factories now than m the preceding'twelve months, bringing the total up to over fourteen thousand and j the number of -workers engaged therein to nearly . ninety- seven thousand. It is a -wholesome sign 'of steady recovery and of the strong recuperative powers of the country that there are now more factories and factory workers than Wver before, the drop during the war years having been fully recovered. Yet, while a healthy state of our secondary industries is matter for satisfaction, we must not lose sight of the fact that the utmost development and settlement of our lands;— the success of our primary industries— are absolutely essential to the well-being of New Zealand. Thanks- largely to observance of laws passed by successive Liberal administrations there has not been an unduly large number of serious accidents m factories during the past year. 'Altogether, 1692 accidents were recorded, of which only 63 were serious /and twelve fatal. We hope that none of the fatal cases can be traced to any neglect oh the part of factoryowners, 1 or to failure on the part of the authorities to see that the safeguarding provisions of the law have been complied with. . Any such neglect or failure should be regarded as criminal.