AUSTRALIA’S PROBLEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 309, 25 November 1930, Page 2

AUSTRALIA’S PROBLEMS.

TIME OF DIFFICULTY!

.“Last year Australia received £35,000,000 worth of goods from America, which in return took only £5,500,006 worth from the Commonwealth, leaving, a debit against Australia of £Ui);500,000,” 6aid Senator It. D. Elliott, in an address at Sydney, when he advocated the encouragement of Empire trade. . His subject was “Solving Australia s Problems.” “We are living in times no more difficult than we deserve,” he said. “They are the inevitable result of the fools’ paradise in which we have been living, and are now living, accentuated by our unfortunate geographical position. We can only remove our difficulties by facing them — that is obivous. Any business refusing to face disagreeable facts heads itself for bankruptcy; in war it leads to defeat; in science to false conclusions; in theology generally to perdition ; and in politics to all these unsatisfactory conditions. A time of difficulty is a time of opportunity, and I see in our present time of difficulty the opporunity for developing Empire trade to our mutual advantage. Constructive thought is the basic element of progress, and the lead given us by the great men 'in England just now will enable Australia and England to capitalise our present difficulties in developing our great resources and rearing a new structure to greater heights. “These men are bringing home to us all the great economic resources of the Empire that are fully appreciated by foreign countries, whilst the gates are being closed against the Empire all over the world.” He went on to say that with regard to wheat Erance, Germany and liussia had placed prohibitive duties on Australian wheat, whilst they were exporting their own surpluses to the British Empire. With regard to meat a clever group of men, who had 5000 butchers’ shops in England, sent from the Argentine quantities of frozen meat, which they fittingly displayed so that the housewife might bo convinced that the quality was better than the Australian product. The only way to convince people that the Empire could supply their requirements satisfactorily was to force them in some way to face the facts—by compelling them to look to Australia and Canada for foodstuffs that were to be had 'both in quantity and quality. ‘ ‘The object of the Empire Crusaders is a tax on foreign food, with the free admission of Dominion products,” lie said, “and they are endeavouring to get tire Conservative or any other party to adopt that policy officially. In the case of the Conservatives, Mr Baldwin and his members agree with it unofficially, but have not the courage to come out and give it to the people. There is a feeling throughout the country to-day that there has not been anything in tire history of England of which foreign countries, and notably France, Germany, Russia, Denmark and the Argentine, are so apprehensive as the unity of the British Empire. They have circulated the idea that Australia will have nothing to do with reciprocal preference. Australia can let it be known to the world that this is contrary to facts.”