A PASSENGER FOR THE EAST.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 14

A PASSENGER FOR THE EAST.

■ Lan opinion .on our' finance. Among th-o passengers by the Rimutaka, which left for London on Thursday, was Mr. I. W. Raymond, of Invorcargill, wellknown in business arid political circles in ■■ Southland. Mr.*- Raymond's "intention is to spend two years in visiting the Far East, (via London and the Trans-Siberian Raili way), returning to England via ,the Philip- . pinos, Calcutta, Kabul, Odessa, Constantinople, and Rome. Later on Egypt and the upper reaches of the Nile will bo visited. Mrs. Raymond will; accompany her husband turn to Zealand, that Mr. Raymond will spend two or threo months in Argentina ■ and Chili, proceeding to Vancouver, and • thence; via tho Canadian Pacific again to the Old Country. It is most likely, on his ro--1 urn to New Zealand, that Mr. Raymond : , v wili settlei' in AVellington. "Tho push and enterprise of its peoplo appeal to mo," said lie to a reporter yesterday. Mr. Raymond's object in going abroad, is to enjoy a holiday, ' ■. and at tho .saino timo make soirid personal: inquiries in connection with the main products of tho countries ho will visit. .. • As stated, Mr'. 'Raymond' has played a ■■ prominent part in politics in the South. Ho is ono of the Hon. R. M'Nab's dofeatod opponents, though his polling'proved him a hardy antagonist. In local politics, however, ho has occupied most; of tho important positions in Invercargill.' In conversation with the reportor yesterday he said that he thought that, although thore was a stringency in the money market at present, he was convinced it was only : transitory. Considering the,upheavals that have taken place in the, financial cfentres of the world, it said, a great deal for the resources of;this country , that soi little financial disruption had. taken. ; 1 place. One must not forget that the Gov- ■ eminent " over-the-counter debentures " had boon : attractive! to many investors,and . that alone had been ; responsible for large' withdrawals from the savings ' bank and general deposit , accounte. .' Then there \had been .great activity in municipal undertakings—in elcctric tram- , ways, harbour improvements, etc. Theso en- . terprises had .absorbed money that would otherwise bo available. The fact was that, for many years the natural resources of this country had been responsive to tho genial . conditions existing outsider. He feltconfi- ' ;. dent that wo: could look forward hopefully to . a. continuation of . good' prices- for our main products at h limited value that would remunerative, , for tho .very good reason that < population was increasing all over tho world at a, far. greater ratio than theavail- ■ •• ablo 'area of production. The spheres of civilisation were being continually extended and, broadened, and this meant a higher 1 : , .standard 'of'living,-' which'necessarily created an increased demand for ( tho' articles''of .consumption that this country produced. !" • (