BOOT INDUSTRY IN DOMINION

Southland Times, Issue 23333, 18 October 1937, Page 8

BOOT INDUSTRY IN DOMINION

Estimate Of Number Dismissed SIGNS OF LULL AFTER BOOM (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, October 16. “The boot industry and the other secondary industries natural to Dominion have no better friend than myself, because I recognize, that the prosperity of everybody in this country depends very largely on the development of our secondary industries, said the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) today in replying to criticism by the Boot Manufacturers Federation of the statement he made earlier in the week. Mr Armstrong said his former statement that the boot manufacturers were at the peak of their prosperity was borne out by the facts, but he had also made it clear that the department’s estimate of the number of persons dismissed during the past three or four months was 300. It was clear from the figures of the number of operatives employed in the industry that there had been a boom during the last 12 or 18 months in the boot manufacturing industry, and there were signs at present of a general slackening off. Wellington up to the present had not felt the falling off to the same extent as the other parts. The Labour Department could find evidence of only 20 hands being dismissed in Wellington. It was a fact, however, that a number of manufacturers was working to add to stocks rather than for supplying orders.

“I would not say for a moment some boot manufacturers are not in difficulties,” Mr Armstrong added. “I want to help the industry in every way possible. If there is one industry more than any other that is natural to New Zealand it is the boot manufacturing industry, because all the raw materials are produced in this country.” Mr Armstrong said a question of Government policy was involved as to the extent of protection to be given to the boot industry. He could say, however, that if the secondary industries were not going to be developed New Zealand would not be able to carry a very much larger population than it had today. “I am strongly of opinion,” he added, “that New Zealand can and should carry a larger population. We must develop our secondary industries side by side with our primary industries. We can’t afford to neglect them.”