The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1928. THE HON. T. S. WESTON AND THE DOMINION'S OUTLOOK.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10728, 27 October 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1928. THE HON. T. S. WESTON AND THE DOMINION'S OUTLOOK.

The address which the lion. T. Shailer Weston, in his capacity of president, delivered at the annual meeting of the N.Z. Employers' Federation this week, was. it will he agreed, cheerful, upon the whole, in tone. It cannot honestly be disputed that a marked economic improvement is being experienced within this Dominion. The financial and trading returns continue to bear this out' in an increasing /degree. In '{.urn, therefore, it is only natural to expect an equally satisfactory improvement in the industrial situation in the near future. Air AVeston does right in pointing out. however, that the maintenance of industrial peace is absolutely essential in order to ensure a, speedy return of prosperity in a', larger measure. "What cannot also be over-stressed is that this Dominion will always have to rely mainly for its prosperity on the obtainment of satisfactory economic and industrial conditions in the Homeland, which is, of course, New Zealand's chief market. Seemingly, Mr AVeston is somewhat perturbed over the prophecy that an era of falling prices is about to be entered upon, hut, happily, he is sanguine enough—and rightly so—to believe that, if such should turn out to be the case, there will bo certain compensations. Money will, assuredly, become much cheaper in the near (future, and it may ho taken lor granted that produce and other pommodities most in demand will he 'tire last to feel any adverse effect in any downward movement in prices. In this .regard, it must bo admitted that this Dominion stands in a, fortunate* position. Maybe wool may ease slightly this season, hut the markets for meat and for dairy produce have quite a healthy tone. This Dominion, as Mr AVeston says, has, in tho meantime, a splendid opportunity to augment production, especially in respect of dairy produce, so that tho returns in the aggregate may not suffer. In all the circumstances, we do not stee that there is room for anything hut optimism. At such a time—a period of political campaigning—opponents of the Government of the day are, perhaps, rather apt to indulge in alarming prognostications, with a view to doing it injury, but the bulk of the electors are not likely to he unduly impressed, seeing that most of them understand perfectly well that it is merely a political dodge. There is, of course, no justification at all for some statements that havo been made from the hustings and it is to he hoped that those candidates who are stooping to attack the credit of the Dominion in an effort to secure the overthrow of the Government will, by way .of punishment for their foolishness, be turned down heavily.