OUR WAR BURDENS

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 74, 29 March 1922, Page 7

OUR WAR BURDENS

NECESSITY FOR MORE PRODUCTION

MR. MASSEY ON EMPIRE PREFERENCE.

(II mEIRAPH.—FIMIS AIIVeiATIOM.)

KAWAKAWA, 28th March,

The Prime Minister, after acknowledging a toast in his honour at the Moerewa Freezing Works to-day,., and congratulating tlft Farmers' Freezing Company and the northern settlers on the establishment of the worke, went on to say that more and more production was necessary to carry the burdens left by the war. It was necessary to pro- % duce more wool, mutton, and lamb. The number of sheep had gone down two and a-half "millions. This wae serious, and it should be their aim to get back to what they possessed before the war. The price for their commodities was dependent upon the capacity of the people in Great Britain to buy them. Early next year, he said, he intended to place a loan on the London market for development purposes. New Zealand's credit was good. Since Christmas a change for the better had come. Wool was much better than it was, and we were not nearly at the top price. He made this prediction without reservation. Meat was better, with the exception of beef, because of.-the Argentine's competition. He believed that the time would come when preference to . those within the Empire would take practical shape. If Mr. Lloyd George, would give one farthing a pound preference in shipping freights, he would ask the New Zealand Government for another farthing, and make it one halfpenny. They had strong competitors, and it was their duty to see that they produced the best j quality every time. He was glad to see ] that our producers were impressed with' the necessity of organisation, not only here, but also in London. The cost of production must be cut' down if they were going to compete with some American- States. The reduction during the last three months in storage, freight, and shipping charges, insurance and storage in London, were equal to a saving of three million pounds per animm. They had reason to look forward with confidence. In the future they must be more co-operative in spirit and less Selfish. Referring to new markets, he said that they had them in Manchester, Hull, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Bristol, all of which had invited New Zealand to exploit their markets. This was a small country, but the solid fact remained that New Zealand sent more and better lamb and mutton to the London market than any other country. ' Referring to communications, he said that they must have better services to Britain and better internal communication. .They would have to consider whether it was worth while to build branch railways considering the introduction of .motor^lorries. They should have good roads to feed the railways, and' they must expect the Government in the not very far distant future to improve the railways. ■ '