GROWTH OF INDUSTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20833, 27 September 1929, Page 6

GROWTH OF INDUSTRY.

RESTRICTING EXPANSION. SOME OF THE FACTORS. (Special to Dailt Times.) AUCKLAND,, September 26. Factors that are retarding the growth, of industry were commented upon by Mr Albert Spencer, president of the Auckland Provincial Employers’ Association, in his address to members at today’s annual meeting. Although there was plenty of free money available, said Mr Spencer, investors were still shy of risking large sums in industrial enterprises under the present unstable conditions of the Arbitration Court awards and the thousand and one petty Government restrictions pertaining to-day. These setbacks were having a far-reach-ing effect in restricting industrial expansion. To meet the difficulties of labour and competition many firms had to curtail their staffs. It was urgent that production costs should be reduced to a more economic level so that the Dominion could successfully compete with other countries where conditions were more favourable to manufacturers. Touching on unemployment, Mr Spencer said the policy of the Government in raising the pay on relief works to the full union rate had encouraged men who were making a living on their own account to apply lor work on Government jobs. Men had thrown up t “ cir 3,°bs on farms to secure work offered by the Public Works Department, he added. In the meantime a steady stream of unemployed had migrated u on) Australia, and this invading army, if not speedily cheeked, would prove a menace, and was already having a serious effect on the workers of New Zealand. All this went to prove that unemployment could not be settled by providing relief works and creating new which were nonproduc•j nr “ The on,y s . oJut ioii to my mind," said Mr Spencer, “ is vigorous and sound encouragement of our secondary industries and a comprehensive national land settlement scheme by utilising our naste Crown lands now lying idle,”