INDUSTRIAL FRONT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23188, 30 April 1945, Page 4

INDUSTRIAL FRONT

Post-war Requirements

Survey To Be Undertaken

(N.Z.P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Apr. 29. The Hon. D. G. Sullivan announced to-day that the Organisation for National Development is carrying out a survey of likely post-war developments in manufacturing industries in order to assist in the formulation of measures designed to secure a successful transition from wartime to peacetime production and to ensure that conditions of full employment will be facilitated after the war, while the information will be of the utmost assistance to the Government in giving adequate consideration to the post-war requirements of secondary industries. Mr Sullivan said it was considered that manufacturers would fully appreciate the extent to which their individual interests could be safeguarded by providing the Government with the comprehensive information so necessary in dealing with the whole problem of rehabilitation. A questionnaire which had been posted to manufacturers asked for information about manpower to assist mainly the rehabilitation department in its planning for the requirements of returning servicemen. Details of projects for new buildings for private industial undertakings had been requested to assist the Ministry of Works in planning construction activities. In the scheme of priorities for building materials which would be necessary during the early post-war period it was essential that provision should be made for industrial buildings. If manufacturers would co-operate by providing the information asked for, an endeavour would be made to ensure that the capital expenditure plans of public authorities and business interests did not conflict and that the demand for constructional labour and for various passes of building materials was not out\ of balance with available supplies. Information was asked regarding proposals for the importation of new plant and machinery to ensure that an adequate proportion of overseas funds was earmarked for necessary machinery to enable post-war industrial reconstruction and expansion to proceed with promptitude. Mr Sullivan said the information would be treated as strictly confidential and would be used only for the purposes referred to above. The survey was being carried out in collaboration with the Industrial Development Committee under the chairmanship of Mr Sullivan and in co-operation with the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation. The statistical work would be carried out by the central office of the Organisation for National Development. “The co-operation of all concerned with the present survey is confidently anticipated,’’ said Mr Sullivan, “in view of the importance of this information in co-ordination of post-war readjustments.”