DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20340, 12 February 1936, Page 7

DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY

SCIENTIFIC BASIS ESSENTIAL AIMS OF MINISTER The strengthening of research institutions so that industry might have the benefit of scientific research, standardisation, and simplication for the general improvement of the national life is one of the aims of the Minister for Industries, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and during an address to the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association he explained his hopes. “During my study of the development of the countries which have made the greatest strides during recent years, I have found that in practically every instance great progress was based on education, scientific research, and the application of common-sense represented by standardisation," said the Minister. "No country contem,plated setting out on a programme of the development of its manufacturing industries without considering those three factors. Many countries have expended much energy and money on the work and the co-ordination of business, and science has eliminated a multitude of slight variations of methods and designs, this having the effect of eliminating much waste and unnecessary expenditure to the benefit of the industry itself and also to the benefit of the general public.” Industry must have a scientific basis, declared the Minister, and his desire was to place that basis on the soundest possible foundation. The spending of money on the scientific side of the national life was useless unless there was a free channel from the research institutions to the industries themselves so that they could quickly get the full knowledge accumulated by the scientific department. He hoped to see th- necessary money provided to strengthen-' those institutions in order that industry might have the benefit to be derived from standardisation, scientific research, and simplification. It was useless to carry out research, however, unless industry was prepared to take advantage of the latest developments. “I have not discussed this with my Government, but I hope to see standardisation and simplification adopted, compulsorily if necessary, by Government departments and local bodies as a beginning for the extension of those useful things to the other activities of the country,” said Mr Sullivan. “It is necessary that we have better organisation of the industries themselves for conditions in some are simply chaotic. If industries are to serve the general masses of the people and to render the maximum service of which they are capable, we must have much more development in the form of organisation in industry in the future than we have had in the past.” Assistance Needed The Government would need the help of the manufacturers in the work, continued the Minister. The conference which he had called for Wellington on Thursday would consider his suggestions for development, and those suggestions would then be considered in the several centres. “I am asking for the co-operation of manufacturers throughout the Dominion in devising a plan for the wellbeing of the Industry, for the employee, whose happiness is dependent on the success of the industry, and for the entire nation, which is capable of far greater things.” No doubt he and the manufacturers would differ on several of the details, but he thought that harmony would be found on the fundamental principles. Before the last elections the Labour Party made it plain that if returned to power it was determined to develop the manufacturing industries. The Government was still determined, hut that development was not possible without the help of the manufacturers themselves. Progress could be achieved in a short space of time, but only by individual effort and co-operation with other units, together with the assistance and co-operation of the Government. This co-operation might embrace efforts for the elimination of wasteful competition, preparation of schemes for rationalisation, research into modern methods, and distribution of information to members.

Outside Competition “It is realised that these alms and the expansion of secondary industries in New Zealand cannot be secured without full consideration, and that there are many difficulties, such as competition with goods produced by countries having large populations and low wage scales,” said the Minister. “We cannot meet such competition, however, by reducing wages, and so reducing the purchasing power of our people, so that every effort must be devoted to erficlency and co-ordina-tion. You will And the Government sympathetic, ready to help, and considerate of any representations you may make lor the betterment of industry. Your co-operation will be welcomed and appreciated, and in this way we will secure the employment of all workers in this Dominion and also the general happiness and prosperity that ought to exist in this fair country." The Minister was welcomed by the president of the association, Mr C. H. Burson, who presided. Mr Burson apologised for the absence of the Minister for Employment and Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, whose duties had prevented him from leaving Auckland. No other member of the Government could carry out the Ministerial duties with greater ability and dignity than did Mr Sullivan, said Mr Burson. He had spent a lifetime tn Industry, and it was certain that progress would be made under his watchful eye. The population of the Dominion was so small that the market should not be shared with the produce of other countries, and that appeared to be the view of the Government. Greater efficiency was also being sought in the railway workshops, in order that most of the railway requirements might je manufactured in the country. All this was very pleasing, said Mr Burson, but he expressed a hope that nothing would be done to Interfere with private enterprise. The Minister was offered the co-operation of the manufacturers of Canterbury, with the hope that the Minister’s work would be downed with success. In thanking the Minister at the conclusion of the address, Mr H. B. Duckworth agreed that the apparent cure for some of the greatest difficulties facing manufacturers was some form of rationalisation.