NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19859, 1 February 1928, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT HIGH COST OF PRODUCTION. "New Zealand will have to develop along agricultural lines. I do not see how it can become a manufacturing country because, i'or one thing, your production costs are too high." In these words, Sir Alexander Spence, a prominent business man of Dundee, Scotland, gave one of his impressions of New Zealand. Sir Alexander has spent several weeks in the Dominion, and is at present visiting Auckland. Sir Alexander said he was struck by the high wages paid in New Zealand and she short hours worked, factors which made it practically impossible to manufacture articles at a low cost. Dealing with agriculture, he said land values Beemed altogether too high. "But New Zealand has a very great future," he added. "One must consider that this country has developed almost within the lifetime of one man, and the result is altogether wonderful." It would be a good thing for New Zealand if settlers with capital, no matter how small, could be attracted here. "The men you want are tiie men we do not want to lose," he said. "Men with knowledge of farming are very scares in England and we want to keep them."