CONFIDENT OF THE FUTURE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17608, 10 November 1922, Page 8

CONFIDENT OF THE FUTURE.

MR MASSEY IN TARANAKI DISTRICT. "WONDEBFUL COUNTBY.** (special to "the press.") NEW PLYMOUTH, November 9. The Prime Minister covered much ground to-day. He left the southbound express at Marton in tho early morning, and travelled to New Plymouth by motor, pausing at most of the centres en route to listen to brief speeches of welcome and to meet local supporters of his party. Many matters connected with the general election were brought under his notice during tho day, but he was not allowed to forget that he was Prime Minister as well as Leader of the Reform Party. Somo of the people in the districts visited had not seen him for a long time, and wore not going to miss an opportunity' of presenting their requests. Mr Massey said in the course of one of his speeches during tho day that ho realised he had not soon enough of the country districts, and the small towns during the last few years The conditions had been abnormal all round. He had been called to London four times in fivo years, and had been held in Wellington during much of the remaining time by the sessions of Parliament. The cares of government had been heavy over since 1914, and he did not suppose anybody was surprised that he had not been ablo to get round the country as freely as he would have done if he had been able to please himself. "Wonderful country," said tho Prime Minister, with referenco to tho portions of Taranaki through which he travelled during tho day. "The stock can't keop pace with the food anywhere. Taranaki and the other dairying districts have been very largely instrumental in saving New Zealand from financial disaster in the last year or two. The smiling fields, happy homesteads, and prosperous towns of this province are a revelation to any man who is interested in production. We have our political differences in this country, and I have no doubt we shall continuo to have them, but there should be no difference of opinion at all regarding the essential importance of encouraging primary production in this country. Tho Government has been doing that to the best of its ability, and to tho full extent of the means at its disposal, and it is going to do it in the future."

Speaking at Stratford, where he was welcomed by the Mayor and leading citizens, Mr Ma'ssey recalled that on the occasion of an earlier visit to the town about eight years ago he had expressed a confident hope that Now Zealand's exports would reach the £30,000,000 mark. Ho. had not had to wait long for the realisation of that hope, since last year's exports had reached a total of over £43,000,000. That was not the limit of the productive capacity of the Dominion. The production and export of butter, cheese, meat, and wool was bound to grow far beyond the totals of to-day. No country in tho Empire had stood up to the world-wide financial crisis and depression better than New Zealand had done, and he was confident now that the corner had been turned. The difficulties of the Government were not at an end, but the outlook was vastly improved, and he was confidont of the future.