KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21029, 13 November 1931, Page 10

KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA.

REBIRTH OF OLD NATION. CZECHO-SLOVAKIAN INDUSTRY. " Although my country has a new name, it is one of the oldest nations in Central Europe," said Dr. Rudolph Kuraz, Consul in Australia and New Zealand for Czecho-Slovakia, at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday. "As Bohemia, it held an important place in European civilisation for hundreds of years and it was always in close contact with the English nation. One of its princesses married Richard 11., and Bohemia's last queen was a princess of the English Royal house." " After 300 years of subjection, Bohemia was made free again in 1918 and it immediately set to work to regain its old position in the world," continued Dr. Kuraz. "In face of the greatest difficulties, its currency was stabilised by 1922 and it has since remained the firmest of all European currencies." Mentioning that 43 per cent, of Czechoslovakia's population was engaged in industry, Dr. Kuraz said large quantities of raw materials had to be imported. The textile industry, employing 350.C00 hands, bought very considerable quantities of New Zealand wool, but owing to ihe fact that Czecho-Slovakia was entirely landlock e/1, the wool, for statistical purposes, was entered as exported to (lie. port of discharge. The very real reciprocal trade that existed between the Dominion and Czecho-Slovakia was thus obscured to some extent.

By scientific methods and co-operation between capital and labour, his country was, able to produce goods at economic prices which could supply many needs of New Zealand. Dr. Kuraz combated the suggestion that low wages were the cause of the cheapness of Czecho-Slovakinn manufactures, and said an international inquiry had shown that, his country ranked with Germany in holding second place to Great Britain in Europe for wage levels.