ABIDING CONFIDENCE

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1932, Page 6

ABIDING CONFIDENCE

MR DOWN IE STEWART SPEAKS PATIENCE AND COURAGE WANTED, THOUGHTFUL OBSERVATIONS. (Per Press Association.—Copyright.) DUNEDIN, This Day. The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Downio Stewart, was entertained last evening by the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association. In an address, he said he did not share the extravagant views of. some that a miracle was going to happen as a result of the Ottawa Conference, or the extravagant fears of others that all the bargaining and haggling meant a break up of the Empire. The real value of Ottawa yas recognition bj r each part of the Empire of the aims and ideals of other parts. It was clearly recognised that agricultural and pastoral countries had the right to develop industrially as part of their nationa 1 life, and that Groat Britain was on titled to protect her farmers to the extent she saw fit.

Dealing with the position in New Zealand, Air Stewart said everyone knew the distressing plight of the and the difficult problem of how to save them ■while world prices remained at the present disastrous level or continued to fall. “Tho changes taking place are so profound,” he said, “that we do not yet know whether it is possible to re-establish the way of life we had for so long been accustomed to, or whether a new order of, society will have to bo painfully evolved out of the present chaos, but what is important is that wo should try to keep a steady view, and not indulge in recrimination and mutual bickering.” No thrift and no economy could have provided; an adequate safeguard against the present onslaught. In any case, it seemed to him to savour of hypocrisy to single out the' farmer for criticism, when we all more or less followed the same line of conduct, “thinking that long summer days

would never cease.” The Alinister said lie wanted to issim

a serious warning against hysterical rumours and wild reports, that were so apt to meet with credence while the public was highly strung and nerVy. It was difficult to know how to prevent them. If one* spoke he was accused of undue optimism or undue pessimism, varying with the point of view of the critic. If one said nothing he was supposed to be hiding something. The plain fact was that Parliament adjourned for the reason stated by the Prime Alinister, that the proposal to help the farmers by exchange had' not materialised, and other methods would have to be considered, which could not be properly examined or dealt with in the short time before Christmas.

Whether any satisfactory measure of assistance to the farmers could be evolved by the Legislature or political action remained to be seen, but there was-one good tiling emerging that billed the speaker with admiration, and that was that all round him he saw and heard every day splendid examples of mutual help and neighbourly assistance by individual citizens, the poor helping the poor, the rich helping the poor, and in short a. reemergenee of all those virtues which seem to be, dormant in prosperous times. Some people out of the merest pittance were sparing a few pence a week to help families that wore still more hard pressed.

■ We could only hope to overcome our unprecedented difficulties if all classes and all interests, Avhetlior rural or urban, rich or poor, realised that a crisis threatens our whole .social organisation. The times call for national unity in the same degree as did the Great War. The Minister concluded:—“l have abiding faith that our people will rise to the occasion, and; by their patience, courage and endurance, enable us to win through. In this task I appeal to the manufacturers with confidence to boar their

' share.”