A CONTENTED LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 139, 14 June 1934, Page 6

A CONTENTED LAND.

While otlicr nations may shi£ hymns of liate or tighten 'their belts in the face of grim sacrifices, Denmark remains a contented land (says the "Manchester Guardian"). Our Commercial Secretary at Copenhagen becomes almost lyrical in hie report on "Economic conditions in Denmark," published this week by the Board of Trade. Denmark, he says, "has managed throughout the past two years to retain a standard of living characterised by a marked absence of poverty and by a scale of real wage whw»li is among the highest in Europe." Her external debt is small, her Budget is balanced, money circulates freely; "even in outward appearance she is a prosperous country." Her economic life is based upon a reasonable balance between industry, commerce and agriculture. Her civil engineers are of such repute abroad that they secured in 1933 contracts for a new mole at Madeira, the extension of the harbour of Gdynia, in Poland, and a share of a Persian railway. Although uneubsidised, she has less useless shipping than most countries. Her agricultural exports of butter, eggs and bacon are destined mainly for Great Britain, whose needs are carefully catered for. While in the past Denmark has had an extremely favourable balance of trade with us, her statesmen realise that in the present condition of the world it is essential for her to buy more from us. An Anglo-Danish trade agreement became effective last June, and in 1933 Denmark took nearly £5.000,000 worth more goods from Uβ than in 1932, amounting to 28 per cent of her total purchases from abroad. Danish exports to Great Britain increased by about half that sura during the same period, but the rise in 1 value was entirely due to Mr. Elliot's manipulation of bacon prices.. Both in quantity (per head of populntion) and in quality Denmark is a steady and reliable market for us. A President of the Board of Trade who deliberately jeopardised, jt would foe tfjoolish indeed.