Bill Sutch: a different perspective: Ted Woodfield provides some observations of this controversial figure based on personal experience.

• Author: Woodfield, Ted

In 1958 the department [of Industries and Commerce] was at the centre of many policies and programmes of the second Labour government elected in 1957. These included administration of stringent import control policies put in place to deal with a balance of payment crisis; price control policies; programmes for industrial development; trade promotion activities, including the Trade Commissioner Service; and international trade relations.

Much of the policy debate on issues before the department was bound up with the personality and character of the Secretary [Dr W.B.Sutch]. Dr Sutch was a controversial individual throughout his life. Industrial development policies were a focus of particular attention. The policies of the 1957-1960 Labour government, strongly supported by research and other advocacy from Dr Sutch and the department, were for diversification of industrial production in New Zealand, development in depth to increase local content, and increased exports of manufactured goods. A balance of payments crisis in 1957 gave added impetus to the promotion of these policies. The outcomes were seen to be reduction of the nation's vulnerability through its reliance for export earnings on a narrow range of farm exports, more goods being made available on the New Zealand market for a given expenditure of foreign exchange, and the enhancement of job opportunities and choices.

Beyond the narrow economic concepts, Sutch talked and wrote about New Zealand becoming the Switzerland or Denmark of the South Pacific, developing export industries based on local raw materials, converted by highly skilled workers--designers, technicians, craft-people--to the highest standards, and returning the highest prices. He advocated changes in the education system; the establishment of a Standards Institute, a Consumer Institute, and schools of industrial design; new approaches to the place of women and Maori in the New Zealand community; and enhancement of support for the Arts, museums and galleries. I contributed research notes for papers he wrote on several of these topics.

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While there was support for many of these causes, there were fundamental differences of views within the community, and between the main political parties, about the role of government in encouraging industrial development and, in particular, in providing protection against import competition. Of major concern to the opponents of Labour's policies was the potential...