DOMINION'S FUTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 18, 22 January 1940, Page 8

DOMINION'S FUTURE

WORK FOR PAKEHA AND

MAORI

Mr. Nash, in the course/of his speech, drew attention to the fact that those present included descendants of Edward Gibbon Wakefield arid Te Puni. who had met one another on a ship off the Petone beach one hundred years before. Of those one hundred years he questioned whether'it cculd be said that any small country comparable to New Zealand had made greater pro- ; gress, based on the magnificent foundations laid by the pioneers, "who faced hardship and hazard with the courage that brings a. joy that no one that has never experienced it can possibly conceive." . ■■ ■'

The year 1842 afforded the first record of sending things away from New Zealand, said Mr. Nash. . In that year £10,000 worth of exports went to Australia. "Some of those exports were potatoes," remarked Mr. Nash, addressing Senator Mcßride, amid laughter. "I believe we shall send potatoes again, but that is something to do with oranges, and I can talk that over with Senator Mcßride afterwards." In those days the population of the whole province was less than < one-third of what Petone's population was today. In 1937, through the efforts of the splendid sons and daughters of the pioneers, the value of goods exported from Wellinston was £16,000,000.

Mr. Nash stressed the achievement that had been-made in raising the living standards of the older countries overseas and of the Dominion itself through the fertility of New Zealand and the efforts of New Zealanders. He also , acknowledged - the assistance' that the older co-ntries had,given in "providing some of the requisites. for that production, and referred to the readiness of New Zealand to go to the aid of ' the .Motherland when the need arose. . ■ ■ .

The debt that New Zealand owed to the Maoris was emphasised by Mr. Nash, who said there, was much that the pakehas could learn from them and had learned in the past century. He hoped also, that the Maoris had gained much of value from their association, with the pakehas would be much that was great and glorious in the future, and, as in the past, Maori * and pakeha could cooperate in making*their contribution towards the building of New Zealand as a worthy part of the British Commonwealth and towards making the world what it should be according, to the road advocated by Jesus of Nazareth. = ■.'••