Increasing Pressure on Local Industries

Pressure for extra production from New Zealand manufacturers increased. Important classes of war goods were made in New Zealand under contracts arranged by the Factory Controller, and controlled through the Ministry of Supply, notably radio, textile, and footwear requirements.

Chart 27 shows changes in the proportion of goods for use in New Zealand which were locally produced.

– 123 –

Before the war, New Zealand producers had been called upon to supply 60 per cent, on average, of all goods used in New Zealand. In wartime, with scarcity of shipping and the inability of traditional suppliers to meet orders, combined with restrictions through import controls on orders of goods which were not considered essential, the contribution made by imports fell rapidly, and for the years 1940–41, 1941–42 and 1942–43, New Zealand producers supplied over 70 per cent of all goods for local use. After 1942–43, United States supplies under Lend-Lease started to have their effect and, for the rest of the war, imports supplied approximately one-third of all goods used in New Zealand, while local production supplied the other two-thirds.