DEFINITELY BETTER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 September 1933, Page 7

DEFINITELY BETTER

f INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN SPEECH BY GOVERNOR Facts supporting reports of a definite improvement in industrial conditions in Great Britain were given by his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, when replying to a toast at the smoke concert held by the Wellington Commercial Travellers’ and Warehousemen’s Association to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the formation of the association. His Excellency also made reference to the important part played by the commercial agent and traveller in the business life of a community (reports “The Dominion”). “I greatly appreciate the warmth of your welcome so redolent of loyalty to the Crown and of friendly goodwill to i, myself,” said his Excellency. “Having happy recollections of the last occasion upon which I'attended your annual smoke concert, I am conscious that I find myself this evening in genial and congenial company. Your organisation is deservedly held in high repute as maintaining the prestige and credit of your important vocation and as being generous in your support, to many deserving charitable institutions. You may indeed be described as efficient traders, good sportsmen and ardent philanthropists. “I am fully conscious of the anxiety and tribulation which many of your member’s must have experienced during the last year of acute industrial depression, and those who have suffered in consequence have my profound sympathy,” he proceeded. “It is no concern of mine to discuss the adequacy of the remuneration provided by your respective principals for the important section of the community to you belong. 1 feel sure that within the limits of their depleted resources they will be reasonably responsive to your legitimate claims. The commercial agent and traveller are the fountains by which the refreshing waters of industry are scattered over a presently parched 'land. If these human fountains are to play successfully (and work and play are in their case synonymous) there must be a reasonable amount of impetus behind them in addition to their inherent personal energy. It is important in these days of temporary adversity that we should hold our heads and maintain our good spirits. . “In the presence of the ActingPrime Minister it would be superfluous for me to refer to the economic conditions, present and prospective, in this Dominion, for he has far fuller knowledge of such matters than I can claim to possess. But being in a sense a representative of Britain as well as of the British Sovereign and realising how greatly the prosperitv of New Zealand depends upon that of the Old Country I can say with confidence that judging by recent communications from those in authority at Home there is a definite all-round improvement in industrial conditions in Great Britain which is unfortunately not so apparent in her rural areas. As the purchasing power of the urban population of Britain improves with returning prosperity it must ere long tend to reduce the state of saturation of the market for primary commodities whether raised in Great Britain or in his Majesty’s Dominions overseas. RETURN OF PROSPERITY "The return of industrial prosperity is being accelerated in no small measure bv the availability of cheap money. Cotton, wheat, steel, and coal are deemed to be fair iiidices of the trend of natitwial trade. The cotton industry in Lancashire is being drastically reorganised and placed on a sounder basis than ever before. The coal industry seems likely to have a much-needed fillip from the hydrogenation process of extracting motor spirit from coal as skilfully handled by Imperial Chemical Industries. Several iron blast furnaces in Lincolnshire, as well as steel works in different parts of the country which have been closed ever since the war, are being relighted in anticipation of & largely-increased demand for metal products* and in the industry of my own neighbourhood—that of tinplate manufacture —there is greater activity to-day than there has been at any time during the last three years. ' ■ . “Commodity values will no doubt increase during the next two years, but 1 venture to hope that the. increase will not' be so sudden and spectacular as calculated to produce wild speculation. Prudent speculation is synonymous with commercial adventure, but wild speculation not of the usefully vertical but of the uselessly horizontal description, leaves behind’ it a heavy permanent burden upon the whole community, which hamstrings its activities and shackles commercial enterprise. “Nothing could afford me more profound satisfaction,” his Excellency concluded, “than to see you all busy and prosperous before I leave # t»he Dominion, for there is no surer indication of national well-being than your own activity.”