NEED OF THE FUTURE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1918, Page 8

NEED OF THE FUTURE

STRONG NATIONAL POLICY.

One important aspeot of the repatria- i tion question was briefly mentioned by the Hon. Arthur Myers at the' Returned Sol-; .diers' Club last night. His words indicat-' ed that he regarded a sound repatriation plan as., part o£ -a sound national policyfor the benefit of the community as";a whole, as: well as returried;:soldiers.' ■■• He remarked that by the end of. the financial year New Zealand's "' total"Cpublic 'debt. ■ would be about £186,000,000.: '. On; the loans for war. purposes, alone, the'interesfc and sinking fund wouldj be; £3,300,000 a; year . (estimated), a'nditheVpayments in war. pensions ■wouldr..'b'e":..-:d81,500,!060,'a. year, a'total annual charge of £4,800,000 ,on .war account. He had no fioubt what-' ever that, if New Zealand-went ahead "■:■ with : a sane and vigorous national policy," the burden would be carried without difficulty. There must be more opening upof lands, extension of ■railways,: and; de-./ velopment of resources. More, and more attention must be given to the industries, primary and secondary. If this was done, he had'no doubt that the ■■ production .. would exceed anticipations,; and there' iwould be employment' -for. all/ willing ; hands. He felt..that, large as the debt;, figures were", there was no reason;,why', the people should be faint-hearted.^ This marvellous country, which was only .partially developed, would meet all needs, provided that ■ those responsible for that shaping of the country's future worked sturdily, with the right national policy.;.;::