"N.Z.—Land of the Tired, the Mediocre, the Apathetic”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28986, 29 August 1959, Page 14

"N.Z.—Land of the Tired, the Mediocre, the Apathetic”

(New Zeaiu"d Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 28.

It was always dangerous to offend unnecessarily one’s best customer, and one’s major source of investment capital; but, in the case of New Zealand and the country’s relations with its customer Britain, the attitude verged upon foolhardiness, said the president of the- United Kingdom Manufacturers’ and New Zealand Representatives’ Association (Mr G. E. Stock) at the annual meeting of the association in Wellington today.

There was no doubt New Zealand was doing many things which were reducing the regard with which she had been held in the United Kingdom, he said. During a recent visit to England he heard confidence in the future of Australia expressed on all sides, but there were only “negative thoughts of New Zealand.” British businessmen claimed there was too much interference, that the laws were too restrictive, royalty arrangements unattractive and incentive insufficient for prudent men to invest in this country. “I was repeatedly asked why New Zealand had no High Commissioner in London, and some regarded this as extremely bad manners and a neglect of oui obligations to the United Kingdom,” said Mr Stock. “The United Kingdom last year bought 95 per cent of New Zealand’s mutton, butter and cheese and 56 per cent, of our total exports. In return, we took 4.2 per cent, of the United Kingdom’s total exports. “The United Kingdom is often

accused of taking the New Zealand market rather for granted but that is no justification for New Zealand assuming that the United Kingdom will preserve for New Zealand products the favoured position they now hold on her markets.

“New Zealand might well remember that the United Kingdom could do without New Zealand’s exports with much less inconvenience that New Zealand could sell those exports elsewhere,” he said. While lasting trade could not be achieved by sentiment, goodwill was an essential .component and was much easier destroyed than built up. Unless a drastic change took place in the minds of the leaders of the country, and in the people themselves, New Zealanders were likely to become a dull people living a second-class life in a backwater of the Pacific. “Taxation, labour laws, restrictions, death duties, rules and regulations fit only to govern children are making this country a P l3o ® on,y for the mediocre, »» l lred an d the apathetic,” said Mr Stock.

■ The country had been passing through a generation of experimenters who were slov to learn that past prosperity was founded upon social and economic ties with Britain. A longing existed and was growing for restoration of that prosperity. It was not to be found in expensive exploitation of unknown and unwilling markets, but was still “within our grasp while we reciprocate loyalty with our proven friends.”