“MONUMENTS OF WASTE”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 7 October 1936, Page 5

“MONUMENTS OF WASTE”

IMMENSE CAPITAL LOSSES FREEZING WORKS QUOTED ARGUMENT FOR CONTROL (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The immense amount of capital lost in New Zealand through the absence ol some form of control over enterprises was a point made by Mr. C. H. Burnett (Labour, Tauranga) in supporting the Industrial Efficiency Bill in the House ol Representatives yesterday. In his own district and in Wanganui, In said, freezing works had been built and abandoned, though if there had been iv plan they would never have started. Thousands of pounds would have been saved. The Kakalii works near Wanganui, the Taihape, Whakntane, and Hicks llav works were all monuments of waste, lor tho only people who made anything out of them were their promoters. He contended that the same applied to many dairy factories which were uneconomic, and tile Government was now proceeding to shut down some of them. Mr. S. G. Smith (Nat., New Plymouth) : Does not the member know that steps were taken to check this/ Mr. Burnett replied that further steps would have to be taken, and the only method of controlling the situation was to have the Bureau of Industries, necessarily under Government control. It would he necessary to see that the number of fertiliser works was not unduly increased. Then there was the anomalous position of lime which was carried 100 miles free by rail, going past works which could supply lime nearer to the farm requiring it, and the House was. aware of the way in which hundreds of thousands had been sunk in unsuitable harbour works.

Mr. S. G. Holland (Nat., Christchurch N.): Would this bill have prevented that? Mr. Burnett replied that possibly it would not, hut the principle it contained could he amended from time to time to meet such a position.