Good May Come Out Of It

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 8

Good May Come Out Of It

■VATIONAL Mortgage’s house magazine “Newstime” has this to say about current difficulties facing New Zealand: “Totalisator turnover may be up and the porina caterpillar on the rampage, but everything else seems to be going down. This includes morale as well as prices. To those who have experienced previous downturns the current facts of economic life are problem enough, but to the young the switch from Easy Street to Restriction Alley is bewildering. “There is, nevertheless, no excuse for pessimism, just as there is no reason for optimism based on blind hope,

wishful thinking, and the ‘she’ll be right’ philosphy. The need today is for determination, diversification where applicable, and old fashioned hard work. Our present national problems have been prophesied for long enough. Now that we are in the thick of trouble is the time to show fighting qualities. “Many people have been concerned for years at New Zealand’s apparently perpetual state of Stand Easy. The demands of the times are changing the pattern fast, and adversity may well liberate what is good and progressive in New Zealanders instead of perpetuating much that is slovenly and bad. The

industry and courage of the people of this country are waiting to be drawn on. New Zealand has never failed to respond to a challenge and, given wise leadership, she will take up the current one and regain the sense of purpose which has been missing from too many facets of national life.

“Our company, so long and closely linked with the fortunes and misfortunes of the man on the land, has an imrole to play. But the whole is only as strong as its parts, and the common goal will have to be energy, enterprise, economy, efficiency and excellence of service.”