AUSTRALIA’S INDUSTRIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 3108, 29 December 1921, Page 3

AUSTRALIA’S INDUSTRIES.

LORD NORTH! LIPPL (ipt'l At I FTP '. LONDON, Dee. 20. In thi* second article ol Ihe series eniilled “t lit' i'hnpiy ( onlinem.” lealured in ihe times, Lord NorilutillV declares dial the small iiinnber ol ininiigrani.s under die new joint scheme is no ground lor pessimism, the repatriation of soldiers is mil com pleled. and Ansiralia also still suffers anilely from die aftermath of die war in a certain amount o| unemployment in die eiiies, due primarily lo die slump in the prices oi base metals and to the dillieiilly of ohiaining money for public developmental works. The surprising thing, in view of diese specific causes of unemploy mein. is dial die number of men mil of work is so small. Lord Nortlielilfe believes dial die position is improving. The season has been magnlllceni. and a great wheal crop is assured. The metal position is belter, and the money outlook and exchange position improving. “As soon as industry fully recovers from the elfece: of die war,” be remarks, “as in all probability il will widiin the next year, n is (crinin dial 'here will he a very greal shortage of labour in the Commonwealth.” t lie loss of 100,000 of her ablest, young men, killed or incapacitated in the war, added lo die loss by seven years suspension of immigration, gives a. total shortage ol 500.000, Despile the war, Australian industries. particularly manufacturing, show a marked development since 1914. the new linin' would certainly load to an increased plant output, and more employment. A sianilieanl feature of after-war industrial developmein, says Lord iN’orlliclilfe, is the decision of great British firms to establish blanches in Australia, BROAD IMMIGRATION POLICY LSSFNTIA L. There liar been latterly a diminution of the cultivated area, owing to rural enlist nients for the war and lo abnormal prices of live stock and wool. Australia, thank.' io her excellent native grasses and to Ihe almost complete absence of serious stock diseases, is an ideal live stock country. With the fall in the prices oL stock and wool a considerable increase in cultivation and employment is expected for next year. The Times, in a leading article, says that it non behoves Australia., which is spared from preparations, to make an ellori for peaceful development. 11 is tile supreme duty of her leaders to adopt a broad national policy of immigration, otherwise she will be faced with six variant policies, precluding eo-operaiiou and continuity. Ihe I ('oinmon wealth should lie in a position to | balance ihe supply of settlers and lo allot I iliem according lo the employment available, without respect lo interstate jealousies.