SKILFUL CRAFTSMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26113, 28 March 1946, Page 8

SKILFUL CRAFTSMEN

GOVERNMENT'S AIM ENCOURAGEMENT OF INDUSTRY “It has been and still is the aim of . Labour to promote the skill of the New Zealand craftsman,” said... the Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, when addressing the annual conference of the New Zealand Motor Body. Builders’ Association in Dunedin yesterday. The Minister said the Government had never ceased its policy of encouraging secondary industries. “We are fortunate in our freedom from want while so many people elsewhere are threatened with starvation,” the Minister said, “ but we cannot avoid the universal effects of deranged systems of production and trade in Europe and other parts of the world. Thus we must face the fact that, until conditions are better overseas, New Zealand must suffer shortages of raw material and other commodities essential in maintaining expansion in our manufacturing industries. Your own industry, for instance, has experienced a curtailment of supplies as a result of the war, and it is easy to imagine how much new work would have come your way if the flew of petrol and transport vehicles were not restricted by economic conditions overseas. “The Government’s policy, both in peace and in war, has never ceased to be one of encouraging secondary industries. It has been and still is the aim of Labour to promote the skill of the New Zealand craftsman. Results have justified that policy, because the growth' of industry in the past 10 years has been greater than in the whole period of New Zealand’s industrial history prior to the present Government. We must go forward with confidence and with capacity for Hard work, and thus overcome all difficulties, great or small, as they arise.” The Minister said he could see no reason, for pessimism in the future of the motor body building industry. When Britain’s industrial machine was once again into top gear, motor transport would know the greatest development in it's history. There,might be some structural changes—already there was talk of the disappearance of rail trams —but he felt that the demand for speedy and'comfortable surface transport would increase in this country, where so much had been done in providing first-class main roads. "Your industry has a bright future with promise of great expansion,” Mr Jones concluded. “You can rest assured that the Government will continue to do its best to help you along the road of progress to prosperity.” .