“UNCALLED FOR”

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11433, 1 February 1923, Page 5

“UNCALLED FOR”

CRITICISM OF NEW ZEALAND MAJOR BELCHER AND EMPIRE EXHIBITION MISSION. PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENTS In connection with the statements contained in the report of Major Belcher’s Empire Exhibition Mission to New Zealand last year, the Prime Minister, in the course of an interview with a “Times” representative yesterday, said: “I think we understood in* New Zealand. when . Major Belcher and those associated with him came to this country last year, that their special business was to. ascertain. what support would be given by New Zealand to the forthcoming British Empire Exhibition; and I cannot understand now wily the members of the mission should have deemed it any part of their duty ‘to report upon the financial or commercial position of the country, or whether its producers happened at the time to he prosperous or passing through a depression. As a matter of fact, while the mission waa in the Dominion the ‘slump,’ as it is called, was uppermost in the minds of most of the people of New Zealand, not only of her publio men, but of the producers themselves.

ARE LAND VALUES TOO HIGH? “As for the value of land—land can b© bought in Now Zealand from £1 to £2OO per acre, according to its quality, the improvements thereon, and whether accessible or otherwise. I know of a district in the North Island where settlers make a speciality of potato growing, and I have heard it stated frequently that during the present season it has not been unusual for settlers to have made a profit of one hundred pounds per acre. Ido dot know what Major Belcher or the* members of the mission would think such land would be worth per acre, notwithstanding the fact that this season happens to be a particularly good one. It is quite- correct that for the past two years most of our settlers have had difficulty in making ends meet, but I think I am right in saying that New Zealand was not- an exception in this, respect. The position has changed. I am glad to say; prices for our primary products are very much better, and the outlook has improved accordingly.

OUR RAILWAY SYSTEM. “As for our railways, I do not know whether the members of the mission profess to be experts in railway management, as in other matters, but they must have noticed that our -railway gauge in New Zealand is only 3ft 6in, as compared with 4ft Biin in older countries. We are handicapped, at any rate, to this extent; but I have heard men with great experience of working railways state that the business done by onr 3ft 6in gauge in New ■Zealand for comparatively long distances was really wonderful. I know, of course, that New Zealand railways cannot compare with British or American lines. But the system on which we started cannot be changed,- except by the expenditure of an immense ajnount of oapital, time and labour; so that we -have to be satisfied with what we have got, and, with careful administration, make the most of it. This is altogether apart from the local criticisms that we hear; hut, in spite of everything said to the contrary, the financial results of our railways will compare favourably with those in other parts of the Empire, especially during the difficult times through which the world is passing since the Great War. “As to the grading of our dairy herds, we may not have done everything possible in this respect; but I venture to say that we in New Zealand are miles ahead in the -grading of our dairy herds, as loompared with any part of the United Kingdom. LINE OF CRITICISM DEPRECATED ‘The line of criticism taken by members of the mission who visited ‘the Dominion does not tend: to ‘ encourage that friendly feeling between the people of this country and Great Britain which New. Zealanders all desire; nor does it inspire confidence so far as the Empire Exhibition is concerned. I sinoerely hope that the exhibition will be a great sucoess. In promising an expenditure of £60,000 from this country, I, as Minister for Fimanoe, went as far as it waa possible at the time; but if we can afford a larger expenditure, and if it is necessary, I am sure there will be no cheese-paring on our part. New Zealand will do her share in proportion to her population and resources, and I think Xt is all that can be asked for. “As for the remarks of the mission in respect to hotel accommodation, I do not pretend that the hotels in this country can compare in magnitude with the Hotel Ceoil, for instance, and other well-known West End hotels, nor with the large hotels in Canada or the United States. New Zealand, has not yet reached that stage in her development; hut, speaking personally, I •have done my share of travelling in the Dominion, and I can say that I have been -as comfortable and as well looked after in hotels in different parts of -New Zealand (which could be named if necessary) as I have been in muoh laTger hostelries in older countries of the world.”