FUTURE OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 12

FUTURE OF NEW ZEALAND

“MUST BUILD UP OUR OWN ECONOMY” VIEWS OF MR MORGAN WILLIAMS [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 27. The attitude of those who thought “that New Zealand was destined for ever to be the cowyard of the Empire was criticised by Mr C. Morgan Williams (Government, Kaiapoi), when speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Williams said that though he was a native of Britain, and Britain was still home to him, the time was bound to come, sooner or later, when New Zealand must dissociate her economy from its present entire dependence on one country at the other side of the world, and on one class of products. New Zealand, he said, should realise that it had come of age, and should develop its own industries. It could not be assumed that the market in Britain was going to continue indefinitely. In fact, it might not continue long at its present level. There was a continually increasing production of butter and to a lesser extent of cheese, in England and Wales. Mr Williams said the birth-rate in Britain seemed to be stabilised at a level which must inevitably mean a decline in population. There would inevitably be a decreased demand for New Zealand's dairy produce, and an increased production of dairy produce in Britain. In New Zealand the birthrate had risen from 16.1 per 1000 in 1935 to 17.29 for the year ended March 31, 1938. Mr Williams said that was sufficient to check the long continued decline from 1920 to 1935. The increase, he suggested, was not unconnected with the legislation of the Labour Government. It had taken place while all over the rest of the world with one or two exceptions, the tendency was in the opposite direction “We have reached the point in New Zealand where we must build up our own economy,” Mr Williams said, “to enable us to maintain our own standard of living, even if we are cut off from the Old Country. There were industries that could be built up. The iron and steel industry. the rubber-tyre industry, and the wall-boarding industry were mentioned in the Budget. The - Dominion should have a more balanced economy It should divert some of its margina’ land into forestry. Thereby a most valuable asset could be created for the future.