H.—44.

LICENSING. The policy of licensing industries only when it is clearly in the general economic interests of the Dominion to take such a step has again been maintained. Before making any decision full consideration is given as to whether or not licensing will contribute to the welfare not only of tnose engaged in the industry itself, but also of the public as a whole. At the time of submitting last year's report there were thirty-two licensed industries, and during the past twelve months four additional industries have been brought within the licensing provisions of the Act. One industry was also brought within the provisions of section 23 of the Act, a section which requires all units desiring to commence in an industry to give one month's notice of that intention. Hereunder is a list of those industries which were licensed 011 the 30th April, 1941 (an asterisk indicates that the industry was licensed during the past year) : — Manufacture for sale of apple-juioe. Manufacture of products consisting of a combination of asbestos and cement. Manufacture of batteries or cells, commonly known as dry cells. Manufacture of and/or assembly of secondary or storage cells and batteries, commonly known as wet batteries, or any part or parts thereof. Manufacture of cement: Portland and other. structural or building cement. The business of any chemist or druggist carried on by the keeping of any open shop or place for the compounding or dispensing of prescriptions. Manufacture of cigarette-papers. Manufacture of colloidal sulphur. Taking by a fisherman for sale of fish (not trout, whitebait, or oysters). Export of fish (not salmon, trout,, whitebait, or oysters). Canning of fruit and vegetables. Manufacture for sale of footwear. *Manufacture of gut from casings. for sale of macaroni. Manufacture of malt-extract. Importation and/or wholesale distribution of motor-spirits. Retail sale and distribution of motor-spirits. The manufacture of nails. *The refining for sale of used oil. Taking from oyster-beds of oysters. Manufacture of paper-pulp or paper products. Milling of phormium products. Preservation for sale in hermetically sealed cans, jars, or other containers of fish. Manufacture of pumps or the assembly of parts thereof for the distribution of motor-spirits. Sale by retail of fish (not trout or oysters). Sale by wholesale of fish (not trout or oysters). Manufacture for sale of radio-receiving sets. Manufacture of electric ranges, including the assembly of parts thereof. Manufacture of rennet. Manufacture for sale of bituminous roofing-material. Manufacture of rope and twine. Manufacture of rubber tires and tubes for all types of vehicles. *Manufacture for . sale of salt. Manufacture for sale of soap and soap-powder. Manufacture for sale of waxed paper. Manufacture of wooden heels for footwear. The industry brought within the provisions of section 23 of the Act was the following : — The retail sale of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. APPEALS AGAINST BUREAU DECISIONS. The Hon. Sir Francis Frazer has continued to act as the authority appointed by the Hon. the Minister under the relevant provision of the Act to inquire into and report on all appeals lodged with the Minister against decisions of the Bureau of Industry. Sixty-one persons exercised their rights of appeal during the year, and of these, twelve were wholly or partially successful, the Bureau's decisions being reversed or varied in each of these cases. Six of the appeals lodged were subsequently withdrawn. INDUSTRIAL PLANS AND INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEES. As pointed out above, one industrial plan was finalized during the year in connection with the footwear manufacturing industry. The plan, after submission to the industry for voting, was adopted, and a Committee appointed for its administration. Plans for certain other industries—viz., radios, ranges, soap, storage batteries and petrol reselling —have also been considered, and it is anticipated that these will in due course be submitted to the respective industries for voting. The plans for the flax industry and the pharmacy industry have continued to be administered by the respective Industrial Committees, in both cases representatives of the various sections of the industry and representatives of the Government being enabled, by reason of the plan, to discuss together problems relating to the industry and to initiate constructive action for the promotion of welfare in the industry.

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