INDUSTRY IN NEW ZEALAND

Southland Times, Issue 23330, 14 October 1937, Page 6

INDUSTRY IN NEW ZEALAND

STATE OF BOOT AND SHOE FACTORIES “NEVER IN MORE PERILOUS CONDITION” (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 13. Difficulties confronting the New Zealand manufacturing industries as a result of high costs arising from Government legislation were outlined by Mr S. G. Holland (Nat., Christchurch North) during the financial debate in the House of Representatives today. Mr Holland said he believed the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) was sympathetic towards the manufacturers, but thought that efficiency could be produced by a series of Government rules and regulations. The manufacturers believed that they could get something out of Mr Sullivan, but not out of the Minister of Customs (the Hon. W. Nash). If action was not taken immediately the industries of the country were in danger of being wiped out altogether. “The boot and shoe factories in New Zealand were never in a more perilous condition than they are today,” Mr Holland continued. “The position is that during the three months from July 1 to October 1 in 25 North Island boot and shoe factories employees have been reduced from 977 to 757 and the wages lost have amounted to £4087.” Mr Holland said that of the 25 factories only one had not reduced its staff and it was working short time. Some firms reported that conditions were worse than during the depression and that the future was black. The largest factory in Auckland had told its hands that for the first time in its history they would have to go on short time. A South Island factory had dismissed 27 hands. Mr Holland read a letter from the firm in which it stated that business was worse now than at any period since 1913.

Other manufacturers were encountering equal difficulties, Mr Holland continued. They could only guess what would be done to assist them, but his guess was that the Government would take over all th? London sterling funds and ration imports.