WORKING IN HARMONY.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 112, 13 May 1924, Page 12

WORKING IN HARMONY.

MOHOFOtT OP GOOD HARBOURS. BALTIC BORDER EMTES. The National Bank of Commerce to New York in the April issue of "Com* merce Monthly" discusses conditions in the newly-created Baltic Border States pointing out that:— "Four great gateways of Russia were lost to Russian control by the creation of the new* states of Esthonia, Latvia and Lithuania, formed from the Balti6 provinces and territories of the former Hussian Empire. These are the harbours of Jttval, Riga. Windau, and Libau, which lie along the Baltic coast betweeft Russia- and Germany. Petrograd is the only Baltic port remaining to European Russia. The Russian Seacoast facing the western world is reduced to a small part of the coastline formerly held by the Empire. EsthOnlft has the longest sea coast with the deep water ports of Reval and Baltischport. Latvia has the ports of Riga, Libau and Windau. Lithuania, although the largest in area, has a mere 14 miles Of sea coast. "Between Lithuania and Germany lies the port of Memel with a narrow strip of territory extending inland. A commission chosen by the League of Nations has just presented to the Council of the League at Geneva (March 1924) a plan for the disposition of Memel. Lithuania is to havo sovereignty over the port and territory Equality Of treatment for Lithuania, iPoland, and Germany in the use of the port is provided. "If the Baltic ports can serve the needs of world commerce as well under the new government as under the centralised control of the old Russian administration, the future of the new states will probably present no great difficulties. Already the two etates which control the ports have recognised that their best interests will be served by co-operation and an effort to eatlsfy the requirements of international trade. Esthonia and Latvia have agreed upon the unification of harbour dues. Not only have these two countries settled all their post war differences, but they have signed a treaty of defensive alliance and entered upon negotiations for an economic and Customs union. Russian markets were important outlets for the the industries of Esthonia as well as for those of Latvia. To a large extent the commerce of both countries depends on transit trade to and from Russia. Petrograd, about 100 miles north-cast of the Eethonian boundary, is Icebound five months in the year. Furthermore, Petrograd does not command the most important section of the Russian market; the heart of European Russia is Moscow, where milroads from all directions converge like spokes of a wheel. Through Moecow must pus much Russian and Siberian produce to be marketed in the west. The direct rail line from Petrograd to Moscow forms one spoke of the wheel; that from Riga to Moscow is anotber. Vaval has M yet no such direct line of

communication with the interior. Ihiririg a good part of the time when the port Of Petrogfad ie closed, Reval is open and from there goods may move by fftil to Pctrogrftd. Baltischport is ice-free alittOet the entire year and receives traffic when Reval is closed. Of the three (Latvian ports Libau, the most southerly, may be considered open all the year round, while at Riga and Windatl the mc of ice breakers is necessary to keep navigation uninterrupted. "An economic conference held in 1923 T>y Esthonia, Latvia, Poland and Finland adopted an admirable programme for the stabilising of currencies and exchange rates and management of the central banks. The reputation of the Baltic States on the .European money market is considerably enhanced as a. result of the conference."

"A pessimist is a man who sees an obstacle in everything. An optimist is a man who eee3 an opportunity in every obstacle," stated the Rev. G. K. Moir, of Greytown, recently (says an exchange). The laughter which greeted the quip was nothing to that when the president, Bishop Sprott, of Wellington, remarked: "A pessimist is a man who has lived with an optimist."