Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1912. THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 74, 27 March 1912, Page 6

Evening Pos t. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1912. THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY

During the past few weeks the people of Now Zealand have been invited to absorb and digest a few figures whicn give a wading of the country's pulse. From Auckland to Dunedin the voice of trade and commerce has referred gravely to the increase of imports and the decline of exports for the year 1910-11. During that period the exports fell by about £2,000,000 and the imports rose by about £2,500,000. The excess of exports over imports was only £1,300,000. "Assuming the exports realised the declared values," runs the annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, "it is evident that some £2,400,000 will have to be provided to meet the interest obligations of the Dominion." Shortly, the country, on the year's turnover, did not have a sufficient surplus of produce to meet the annual interest charges on public and private indebtedness — capital borrowed abroad — and this shortage has been set down at £2,400,000. Experts may quarrel about some of the delicate adjustments in tfie balance of trade, but it is a monumental fact that the country had to fall back on reserves for a large Amount of the year's interest charges. Those who have noticed this regrettable lapse have not all spoken gloomily, not pessimistically. The commentators look hopefully to the future, and they have every confidence in the country's power of recovery, but they .are careful to stress the need of economy and the importance of an extension of land settlement to add to the yield of goods for export. "If we contrast the percentage of producers in this Dominion with that of the distributors and manufacturers of secondary products introduced into New' Zealand, the want) of proportion is at once apparent," said Mr. H. C. Tewsley at yesterday's meeting! of the Chamber of Commerce. "This fact partly accounts for the high cost pet head of taxation, which, combined with the cost of the advanced luxuries of our social life having outstripped our producing capacity, will be felt for years_to come unless we can increase our productive population, and so divide and reduce the burden." This disproportion; was brought under public notice by The Post last year, when the census figures "were printed. It all goes back to land tenure and the encouragement of suitable types of settlers, but Parliament has not yet found time to get down to the bed-rock of the land issue. JJnfortunately, the indecisive election of last December leaves small room for hope that any vigorous forward move wiL l be made till a settled, definite form of government is solidly established. "Were I in. the at present unenviable position of Prime Minister," remarked Mr. Tewsley. "1 would make all other considerations bubservient to the introduction of the right stamp of stuudy, healthy men and women to cultivate our lands at the same time endeavouring to evolve a form of land tenure that would reasohdbly provide for the requirements of the greatest number." In this profession Mr. Tewsley is in lino with Mr. Maesey, whose main motto has been stated as : "Settlement, 1 more settlement;, and still more settlement.*' Many membero of both parties agree that land settlement must be stimulated and industriously fostered if the cost of living for the whole community is to be induced, but tho wranglings and bickerings have put a neavy drag on the wheels of progress. The best "humanitarian" legislation that any Administration can pass must be concerned with sane settlement of the land. Politicians will play and tinker witn these land issues as long as they are permitted by the public. It is very unlortunate that the importance of widening and improving the use of the land is not adequately perceived by the general public. The people do not seem to worry mucn about the Government's protracted costly game of hjde-and-seek between leasehold and freehold. We are nopeful, however, that if tho ovenness of the parties does detor the day for the adoption of an effective land policy, tho prospective bouts of "in-fighting" will valuably educate the public in. land matters.