THE NEXT WAR

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 10

THE NEXT WAR

PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMMERCIAL STRUGGLE. REMARKS BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. WORK TO BE DONE. At the opening of the Patriotic Inhibition in Wellington last week, Sir Joseph Ward said it was the duty of New Zeillanders to get to work now. while the war was on. to prepare for the commercial war that would come after it : it was no use waiting until the war was over. While the men we.e away fighting, those at home should be preparing to make it impossible, in the future,, for our enemies to get into the same position which they attained commercially after twenty-live years' endeavour. A work similar to that which the exhibition authorities were doing was likewise going on all over the British Empire. Chambers of Commerce in other parts of the Empire were actively at work. It would be by co-operation in thus respect that the best work would be done.

Sir Joseph Ward added that he was glad to say that the financial position of the. Dominion was not only sound and strong, but magnificent, considering the times we were going through. There were many duties yet devolving on the National Government which only a National Government could do; and for that reason all of a party nature was being put aside while the war lasted. Thre.was an enormous amount of work yet to be dono to ensure the wellbeing of this young ami growing Dominion. Nobody yet knew what the policy of the future would be; even in the matter of preferential trading people did not kuojW what it; would involve. He,would not like, to say that a great and strong country like the United States could be left out of an empire system. The British were engaged in a light for social, commercial and industrial freedom, and the freedom of those working with them.