RATIONALISATION OF INDUSTRY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21959, 10 May 1941, Page 10

RATIONALISATION OF INDUSTRY

NECESSARY AS A WAR MEASURE <p a ) NELSON, May 9. The recently established Footwear Industry Committee has lost no time in getting to work, and the Minister of industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said to-day that the setting up of this committee marks an epoch in the history of the footwear industry in this country. The industry decided by majority vote in favour of being licensed under the Industrial Efficiency Act, said Mr Sullivan, and to work under a plan submitted for the approval of the industry. The industrial committee set up to carry out the plan consists of representatives of the State drawn from the departments of Labour and Industries and Commerce, representatives of the workers employed in the industry and representatives of the employers, who are the licensees. The members of the committee are Messrs E. W. Bridgens (chairman), C. W Coles, J. A. East, G. L. Lindley, G. F. Grieve, L. J. McDonald, S. C. A. Ringrose and C. A. Watts. Mr S. J. Collins has been appointed secretary. The Minister explained that he had addressed the committee concerning its future activities. Rationalisation of industry was very necessary to-day as a war measure, and there would probably have to be a good deal more of it in the near future to enable the country to stand up to the economic conditions imposed by the war. but industries functioning under the Industrial Efficiency Act and operating under a plan directed by an industrial committee upon which employers, workers and the State were represented, could largely carry out the job themselves as a self-governing entity. Th£ principal objective was to serve the public interest, said Mr Sullivan, and the committee must work in a way that would reconcile the public interest with the welfare of all engaged in the Industry. There were important problems affecting New Zealand’s war effort also that could be dealt with by the committee, such as the supply of footwear overseas, not only to New Zealand troops—which was already being done —but also to the troops of other governments in the British Commonwealth. In this particular matter the committee would requle to work in conjunction with the factory controller.