JOURNALIST'S EYE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 134, 4 December 1930, Page 9

JOURNALIST'S EYE

THINGS siIEN AT HOME

AUSTRALIA'S DIFFICULTIES

(Received 4 th December, 2 p.m.) !f SYDNEY, This Day. Mr. Gilinour; chairman of the New Zealand delegation to the Imperial Press Conference, discussing jioints of interest noticed during his visit to England, saim that an unfortunate feature of the aews sent to England was that reports; concerning the activities of the extreme elements in tie Australian Governments give hostile critics o£ the Commonwealth material of which they matte the utmost use. Since Australia aijid New Zealand are so close together, and the fortunes of the Domin/ion. are bound up with those of the Commonwealth, New Zealanders in London are naturally interested in what is JiSeing said of Australia. Critics of Australia at Home, both in the Press a/nd among public men, were many, and saonie were severe; but in both Press and fpublic there were a great many who knew Australia well, understood its conditions, and appreciated its possibilities. Mr. Scullin's utterances, said Mr. Gilmour, had been calculated to assist Australia in tho present crisis, and had given much satisfaction to the friends of the Commonwealth There was no inclination to underestimate the difficulties which had to be overcomo, and it was.realised that there was no ground to expect prosperity to be regained quickly., There was, however, a f oeling that, given firmness and sanity in the Australian Governments, with energy and economy among the Australian people, the balance would soon be turned in Australia's favour. The latest statistics showing the .surplus of exports over imports were gratifying. New Zealand had her own troubles, though they swere not so bad as Australia's, and as the latter's recovery would be of the greatest assistance to the Dominion, New Zealauders naturally hoped for the best for tho Commonwealth. "Since arriving in Australia," said Mr. Gilmour, "I have heard more pessimism expressed regarding tlio Australian outlook by Australians themselves than during all the months I was at Home. A change in the Australians' own attitude would help the country." Mr. Gilmour added that he found Australia ahead of New Zealand in advertising its products. CONDITIONS IN EUROPE. Beferring to his visit to a number of European countries, Mr. Gilmour said he had been struck by the fact that the people of France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Czceho-Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy were working hard. Land workers, men and women, were in the field until late at night, and the soil was made to yield tho utmost. Business men complained that conditions were not good, but tho cities appeared to a traveller to bo prosperous. Though depression was world wide and complexity and bewilderment prevailed everywhere, thero were also signs of energy and virility. Happily this applied to Great Britain equally with other countries. Mr. Gilmour said he was returning to New Zealand convinced that the Empire was never stronger and sounder at heart, and would rise triumphantly above all difficulties, provided peace was maintained. Unfortunately then; was too frequent talk ol: war, but the great majority of the nation's public men realised that this would bo a crowning disaster if it came upon tho world in the present conditions.