PROSPEROUS NEW ZEALAND.

Northern Advocate, 9 February 1925, Page 3

PROSPEROUS NEW ZEALAND.

ADVANCE AND DEVELOPMENT. "NO BRITISH DOMINION SHOWING GREATER PROGRESS." No British Dominion is showing at ths moment- greater relative progress ' than New. Zealand (says the "British Export Gozette"). In every drree- : tion there is advance and development, an expectations for the coming year are , particularly bright. The 1924-25 ex- : porting season, which is now in full swing, is bringing satisfaction to all concerned, alike in regard to butter, cheese and wool, and the result of good prices on the purchasing capacity of the Dominion is bound to be of a favourable character. The ensuing year, too, is being looked forward to as the beginning of a new progress initiated in November toy the opening, o' the International Exhibition at Dunedin, an event for which preparation io being made on a scale unexampled in the Dominion. Following as it does the remarkably successful participation of New Zealand in the British Empire Exhibition, which brought the Dominion's resources, achievements and potentialities before the world in so vivid a manner, the exhibition of next year is bound to attract an enormous amount of attention, create renewed Interest in New Zealand's natural and manufactured products, and thereby further stimulate its development. PER CAPITA IMPORT TRADE STILL GROWING. It is unfortunate that New Zealand trade returns for the present year carry ■us no further than the end of July, trat it is suffiientlcy indicative of the advance that is taking place that the imports for the first seven months totalled £23,802,008, or £2,153,991 more than for the corresponding period of J923 and more by £3,408,909 than for the first seven months of 1922. In other words, the high per capita purchases of the Dominion in 1923, higher than those of any other country in the world—namely, to the extent of £37—have T>een increased during the present year to over £40, or nearly double the value of United Kingdom imports per lead of the population. But, remarkable as is the expansion of its) import trade, New Zealand has still plenty of money in hand. Exports for the seven months totalled no less than £36,363,073, or nearlv £10,000,000 beyond imports. INFERIOR GOODS NOT WANTED.

The hopeful view of the future has stimulated commercial enterprise in every direction. Our correspondents on the spot report that the window displays in the principal cities have never been more .attractive —nn indication not only that the general public have more money to spend, but that the retailers are on excellent financial terms with the merchants. Tn all depratmexits the demand is for quality above everything, and to endeavour to put inferior goods on the market is to risk failure. An instance of the latter is provided by the footwear trade, the 5 mportation of snmr> poor quality boots and shoes having resulted in a vigorous agitation which may, un-

happily, react on the whole import trade in this department by bringing about restrictions equally irksome to local merchants and to those British exporters whose goods unfailingly preserve the necessary standard of quality. RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF POWER RESOURCES.

In the meantime the Government is actively pursuing its policy of developing the power resources of the Dominion to the utmost. The matter has been several times alluded to in the columns of "The British Export Gazette," and our readers have been kept abreast with all that is being done in this direction. Already nearly 30,000 h.p. is being supplied from the hydro-electrical plants which have been set up, and no fewer than 36 power boards are operating. But works now in course of completion will, when handed over T>y the contractors, supply more than 100,000 additional h.p., and still other works are in contemplation, an indication of the big demand for plant that will ensue. The time is not distant when the whole power needs of the Dominion will be satisfied from these hydro-electrical sources, and railways, tramways, municipal enterprises, and industrial operations will all be served. Up to recently much of the worlc has been carried out by the 'Goverment itself, but the opinion has gained ground that placing it with private contractors is preferable, particularly if time is of importance. CONTINUED PROSPERITY PREDICTED.

But schemes for the development of liydro-electric power by no means stand alone in Government plans for the future. A programme, involving the expenditure of £8,000,000, has just been put forward for railway extension and for a number of improvements in the present railway system, notably in regard to the signalling system. In almost every direction, indeed, New Zealand shows definite advance to an extent and at a rate that, considering its stage of development, leads the Empire. What is more, the wealth of the resources still untapped or only in the initial stages of exploitation, the vision and keenness of the commercial and agricultural commuiiitv, and the evergrowing markets.frfr New Zealand produce, promise a lon<? spell of prosperity. Sc far the greatest attention has wise]v been paid to agriculture, stoekraising, and dairving. bnt the Dominion is beginning to realise the value of it? vast mineral ro=ervos, its merchantable mi'l valuable fisheries; while pvpr*- bops additions to its list of manufacturing industries. Wirt nil means to the future trade of thf r>omniion it is impossible fn rwlW. bvt Great Britain will, in ".nit" modification of the Pveforonti' 1 ! benefit more thav anv other rnvntr"- roes without saving. TTTF T.rr^—^OE. JVsense I"" 1 '"ft and entor the boiif H rr-.M-v-' •' notes. Bath dailr AviHi - medicated toilet c<-" « the complexify, Pri.-e ■}«'> 1- 1