WORK WELL DONE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22791, 15 January 1944, Page 4

WORK WELL DONE

Tribute To Industrial Workers Difficult Times Ahead (Special! WELLINGTON. January 14. In a statement surveying the past year of industrial achievement in NewZealand and commenting on the problems immediately ahead, the president of the New- Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, Mr lan Matheson, prior to his recent departure to Australia, asked the public of New Zealand: “When you were doing your Christmas shopping did you ston to think that most of the goods you saw displayed and most of thqse which you took home were the product of New Zealand factories and of New Zealand workers. The bulk of the lines stocked by your grocer, chemist, draper, boot retailer, confectioner, stationer, furnisher and other classes of retailei' were made in New Zealand. “Taking into account difficulties of raw material supplies and of manpower,” Mr Matheson continued, “the public of New Zealand has reason to be thankful to the New Zealand factories for the very fine range of goods which was available at Christmas, and w-hich has been available since the beginning of the war. Retailers generally are also fully appreciative of the extent to w-hich ■ NewZealand factories have kept them stocked. I want to thank the public of New Zealand and the retailers for their appreciative recognition of NewZealand’s factory- effort in meeting the demand for civilian goods. While in a few isolated cases quality may not have been the best and the price mayhave been high, this occurs principally in what might be termed under present circumstances luxury lines, which there is no need to buy nor for that matter no need for retailers to stock, except because of their desire to make a profit on these lines. It might also be said that in the case of these lines much poorer quality goods had been imported in the past, and information from overseas countries shows that prices for such lines last vear were exhorbitantly- high—relatively higher even than in New- Zealand—cuality- was poor and supply short. A Difficult Year “The past year has been one of considerable difficulty, but our productive effort in many fields for the Armed Forces of New- Zealand and other of the United Nations, and in the supply of civilian goods is one of w-hich w-e can be justifiably proud. Manufacturers are particularly grateful to the large body of their workers whose efforts have never slackened in a resolute endeavour to produce to the utmost at such a vital time in the Empire's history. It is unfortunate that the weaknesses of the few-, through persistent absenteeism, or through other forms of industrial irritation, should tend to overshadow- the unremitting sen-ice. entailing long hours of work, and in many cases no mean sacrifice, which has been rendered by the bulk of our factory- workers whose effort has stood out as a shining example of war sen-ice. To these workers I want to express my thanks and also to emphasise that the problems of the coming year are such as to call for a continuation and where possible an Improvement in this production effort. The war is not yet won. In many lines of factory production, particularly in the processing of foodstuffs, the supply- of clothing, plant and equipment for the Armed Forces, and in the production of essential civilian requirements, we will be called on for renewed and greater output. “The Council of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation fully realises the importance of maintenance of output and also is fully aware of the difficult times which are ahead. We appreciate and accept the manufacturer’s responsibility to the public of New- Zealand—apart altogether from production for the Armed Forces—to produce as much as is possible under present restrictions, to make goods of as high a quality as possible and to market them from the factory at as cheap a price as possible. We also recognise our responsibility towards the 120,000 w-orkers who are employed in our factories throughout New Zealand and to the servicemen who will ultimately return to employment in our factories. "We confidently feel,” Mr Matheson concluded, “that the initiative and energy of private enterprise in accepting these responsibilities, and at the same time recognising its obligation to provide its workers with good wages and the best possible conditions under which to work, can overcome the difficulties which are ahead. Our standard of living is high. We must aim at maintaining and if possible improving this standard. New- Zealand can only do this by exploring even- avenue to increase the output add the efficiency of our manufacturing and primary- industries. There are some problems connected w-ith this expansion which necessarily are the responsibility of the Government, but, in the main,’ it is through the energy- of the producers of the country—w-orkers, manufacturers, and farmers alike—that the hopes of our future lie."