N.Z. Future In Pacific

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31304, 25 February 1967, Page 10

N.Z. Future In Pacific

New Zealand’s economic future lies in the Pacific, according to the chairman of the New Zealand Federation of Farm Improvement Clubs, Mr A. G. Wood, of Runciman.

Speaking to the annual conference of the federation at Wanganui yesterday, Mr Wood said it might well be asked whether reasonable market outlets would be available if production was increased. “In this respect I believe that nationally we should realign our thinking,” he said. “We have relied on Great Britain to a large extent to absorb vast quantities of both dairy and meat products, but we are in a rapidly changing economic and marketing revolution.

“Britain, to meet these ehanged circumstances and for its own economic reasons, must enter the European Economic Community. Al-

though the United Kingdom Government has given New Zealand an assurance that for certain basic products some protection will be an essential part of the market deal, and I believe this will be bonoured, the fact remains that our dependence on this outlet may well be an increasing embarrassment to the United Kingdom Government “I firmly believe that New Zealand’s economic future lies in the Pacific area where the rapidly increasing standard of living in ‘eastern’ countries, particularly Japan, ensures that immense quantities of milk and meat products will be necessary to meet future demands. “I believe that a closer economic link should be actively pursued with our Tasman neighbour, Australia, and that these two countries could well have a much closer economic relationship with our powerful friendly neighbour, the United States of America. Apart altogether from the advantages we derive from our limited economic associations with the United States, we have seen the cementing of relationships culminating in the recent visit of President Johnson and Mrs Johnson. “Unquestionably the United States is the world’s glamour market, as we well know, in

the disposal of certain of our meat products, and we could with advantage take in exchange a range of mechanical products that would enable us to step up further productivity in New Zealand."