“GRAVE CONCERN”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20256, 16 March 1934, Page 5

“GRAVE CONCERN”

Present Position of Local Industries. LOST PURCHASING POWER. “The present position of our industries gives cause for grave concern,” said Mr F. L. Hutchinson, president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, when speaking at the annual meeting of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association yesterday afternoon. “There has been a falling away since 1930 in the number of hands employed from 82,861 in 1929-30 to 68,697 in 193132, a drop of 17 per cent. Wages paid dropped from £16,826,000 in 1929-30 to £12,643,000 in 1931-32, a drop of 25 per cent. In output, values fell from £91,915,000 in 1929-30 to £67,813,000 in 1931-32, a drop of 26 per cent. This, in spite of the reduction in imports from £48,797,000 in 1929 to £23,045,000 in 1932, is a drop of £25,752,000, a reduction of over 50 per cent. “Industrially, we are undeveloped,” continued Mr Hutchinson. “We have our industrial era before us. Failure to develop internally has caused, and is causing, New Zealand to lag behind other countries in recovery. People are realising this, and it may safely be said that the force of conditions will make this country turn to manufacturing development with the same zeal that it has shown in developing agricultural industry. “Let me end by saying that the Women’s Auxiliary of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association are doing a noble work in trying by their teachings to convince the women of Canterbury and Westland and other parts of New Zealand that their work lies in the direction of encouraging a policy of greater self-containment and in giving the people of New Zealand the opportunitv to make, as far as possible, the things which they use and consume. Only in this way shall we be able to give work and adequate wages to our people and place the prosperity of the Dominion upon a sound and lasting basis.”