The Wanganui Chronicle. FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1944. NEW INDUSTRIES FOR WANGANUI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 124, 26 May 1944, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1944. NEW INDUSTRIES FOR WANGANUI

yii E establishing of new industries in Wanganui comes at a time when conditions are not easy for these new enterprises. But the fact that they have come here may not be proof that any especial enterprise lias been exercised by anyone in Wanganui to bring- them here. The subject was first discussed at the Wanganui Employers’ Association annual meeting in the early part of the year 1941.. That is throe years ago, and the industries are coming to Wanganui now that they have been crowded out of the Hutt Valley. The Government did endeavour to implement a policy of regional distribution of industry along the lines adumbrated at the Employers’ Association meeting, but did not get very far with it, although certainly sympathetic io the idea. When the crowd-ing-out process became acute it was inevitable that the secondary towns should be examined with a view to establishing- factories therein. But what occurred in Wanganui? Here is a Harbour Board with large areas of land lying idle, and it is for Mr. Alan Millward to take the initiative in getting these new industries to secure premises. Every reader of American magazines is familiar with the advertisements of American cities wherein they publish location plans of the land that is available and the facilities that serve such industrial sites. This should have been done by the Harbour Board long ago, and the omission to do so is a reflection on members of that body. , There should have been co-ordination between the Harbour Board, the County Councils and the Wanganui City Council with a view to establishing a comprehensive presentation of the case for the district. Unfortunately this was not done. Now the Harbour Board’s finances are at low ebb and as a result the maintenance of the port’s facilities is a matter of difficulty. The projection of the mind to grapple with these tasks is beyond the capacity of many people, and it is only those who have had training- in constructive thinking who are capable of looking forward and meeting by anticipatory action the problems of the future. The future has the knack of becoming the present, and solutions to presentday problems to be successful must have been initiated earlier. Those who cannot engage in this anticipatory thought can quite genuinely believe that they are serving the community by makingno provision for the future. For instance, the proposal to return part of the profits of the Power Board to the consumers is genuinely put forward by those who cannot see that it would create unemployment in the future by reason of the lack of facilities for power distribution to the new industries that are to be set up in the years to come. The proposal to distribute the funds of the board cannot be entertained by the public. Every head of a family is concerned for the future welfare of the city as much as he is for its present welfare, because in the future his children will probably be seeking a livelihood here in Wanganui. Those who are concerned for Wanganui’s future should make certain of exercising their franchise to-morrow for those candidal-; who are determined to think and act constructively now. It is only by having men of constructive thought and action in charge of the fmblic administrations now that the future welfare of the community can be assured.