INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19137, 5 October 1936, Page 11

INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY

PLANS UNDER RILL SMALL BUSINESS UNITS PROBLEM TO BE FACED 1 (Per Press Association.) OHRISTCHCRCH, last night. The, possibility of the Industrial Efficiency Bill leading to problems involving the independence of the existing individual firms in the. pursuit of the Government's principle of co-ordination in industries is not regarded by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D, G. Sullivan, as a. matter for present consideration. Mr. .Sullivan, in an interview yesterday, made it clear that he w v as not ready to discuss this possibility, saying that" it was one of the problems which would have to be dealt with by the machinery to.be set up under the bill.

"It is impossible for anyone to prophesy to wbat extent the same redundancy as at. present would exist under a co-ordinated system," said Mr. Sullivan. "You may have smaller units in competition with larger units and unablo to hold their own where they are attempting to give full service and to handle all lines in industry. But I can conceive, that under co-ordinated organisation in industry, there would be a useful part to be played by the smaller unit. It. could devote itself to some special phase of activity in industry which, perhaps, ii could do efficiently. I think it may be possible to find a useful place in the scheme of things for the smaller units." He added that he did not expect to have to settle disputes between larger and smaller firms. Such problems would be dealt with by agreement. A number of industries, including two or three of the largest, had over n number of months made representations to the Government asking for legislation along the lines of the bill, with particular reference to co-ordination.