PASSING DEPRESSION

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17224, 6 October 1927, Page 10

PASSING DEPRESSION

ROOM FOR OPTSIV!!SIVI. LOCAL INDUSTRY AND TRADE. In his address at the annual-Meet-ing of the Wellington Employers Association, the president (Mr 11. Mainland) said the past year had been one of considerable anxiety to employers—primary producers, manufacturers, and retailers alike —and while the prospects of immediate relief were not particularly bright there was, nevertheless, room for a degree of optimism rather than pessimism. The depression through which the countrywas passing was not one that had taken them unawares. Neither could it be said that the depression amounted to a disaster. Too frequently they were apt, during periods of prosperity, to discard prudence and become reckless, and a temporary set-back often had the effect of restoring their minds to normality and bringing them back to earth again.

The Secondary Industries. After a biref review of the outlook for wool, meat, and dairy produce, Mr Mainland said the secondary industries of the Dominion were not in a very healthy condition, and while there existed considerable room for improvement in organisation and methods of manufacture in many of them, these industries would undoubtedly beneftt il the general public could only be induced to put into practice the slogan "Buy New Zealand-made goods." Jn most uf those lines which the Dominion attempted to manufacture, the Dominion manufacturer could produce an article of equal quality and value to the very best produced in any part of the world, but for some reason there existed a prejudice against local manufac- ' tures in favour of the imported article. No doubt this prejudice arose in vears gone by, when the manufacturing trades of the Dominion were more or less in their infancy, and carried on with little capital and more or less obsolete methods. That time, however, had long.since passed, and whilst manufacturers were still restricted to a Home market only, the latter had grown and the methods of manufacture had so improved that with encouragement the local manufacturers could give service to a degree which had never been possible until recent years. Whatever grounds for prejudice in favour of the imported article might have existed in years gone by, no such grounds existed to-day. Persistent propaganda was needed to effect a remedy. In this connection it was regrettable that more initiative was not shown by State Departments and local bodies. The individual employer should be among the foremost to stress the value of supporting local industry by precept and example. Vitally Affected. The retail trade was suffering in common with other t sections of the community, and Rurally was vitally affected by the uecreased purchasing power of the community, consequent on the falling prices of our primary products. At the same time there were contributing factors, amongst them being that of over-stocking, and what might be termed "over-shop-ping." There was no gainsaying the fact thai in some trades in particular localities the number of shops was greatly in excess of the requirements of the community... Healthy and active competition was an excellent thing, but excessive competition more often than not developed into an evil. The greatest anxiety of employers to-day was the tendency of the Arbitration Court to still further increase wages, notwithstanding the difficulties now being experienced in maintaining staffs at maximum strength. Un- ; fortunately there was no indication of any intention on the part of the Court j to call a halt. Employers were re- J peatedly asking where n was going to j end, and their anxiety was not to be wondered at. Employers were voicing their dissatisfaction with tire Court, I and il was not in the least surprsing to find the workers championing it as their best friend. As matters stood, the question of the and ihc system was in the melting pot, hut it was difficult to believe that any radical change would be made in eithat? ...