FOR SELF-RELIANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 122, 25 May 1945, Page 4

FOR SELF-RELIANCE

Sir,—Your correspondent, "Manufacturer and Importer," in a letter headed "Farms and Factories," in your issue of May 18, gave one an impression that he was more concerned with imports than local manufactures. '•Intensive culture and closer settlement," he wrote, ""will increase the value of our primary exports immensely The encouragement of immigration will favour this." That remark and other statements showed clearly that the writer was a firm believer in a perpetuation of the old "farmyard policy," based on the refrigerator, which caused a very lopsided development of New Zealand. It is true that the refrigerator was hailed as a blessing long ago. It began as a good servant, but gradually became a troublesome master. It made the country's welfare more and more dependent on uncontrollable factors overseas. People of the older generation have memories of price fluctuations, with their alternating uplifts and depressions. However, one Government after another tied itself to the refrigerator which strengthened its dictatorship. Whatever differences of opinion various sections of the community may have with the Labour Government on some matters of policy, they must admit that it is first to make a serious planned effort to encourage balanced production, with a vigorous development of secondary industries. Such development is a necessary part of any intelligent scheme for immigration. Yielding to pressure for a limitless maintenance of refrigerator dictatorship would make this country a-weak-ling among the nations. It would never have enough population nor industrial strength for self-defence. The ideal should be self-reliance, as far as practicable, even if present exigencies and commitments inevitably delay the realisation.—l am, etc., LEO FANNING.