OF DOMINION INTEREST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18952, 28 August 1923, Page 8

OF DOMINION INTEREST.

REASONS FOR FAILURE TO CARRY PROHIBITION. “ WELL DONE, NEW ZEALAND." (From Dor Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July IT. The Times heartily congratulates the New Zealand Government on taking the lead in the matter of restoring penny postage, and the congratulation is echoed from many centres. "Dear postage, 1 ' says The Times, “is a real handicap to trade, and we feel eure that New Zealand's example could he followed with profit here and in other dominions. The Budget statement presented .by Mr Massey also compels admiration.. Economies to the amount of £3,735,000 have been effected in two years, and the surplus this year is £1,329,000. The loan redemption account is to receive £3,000,000, and £4,000,000 is to be spent on public works. This, in. view of New Zealand’ consistent and generous preference, means large orders lor British manufacturers of electric and other plant and materials. A reduction of the tea duty and lower land and income taxation will be welcome reliefs and will assist the return to prosperity which, according to Mr Massey, ‘iao already exceeded expectations. Production last year was well maintained in quality and value, while exports increased considerably. The figures given by the Prime Minister justify his statement that the country was a hive of industry." The British Empire Review notes that conditions in the dominion continue to improve, and “retrenchment helps to increase the rising tide of prosperity.” The dominion looks forward to the Imperial Conference as likely to solve various problems to which New Zealand devotes unswervingly such patriotic care. THE KAURI GUM INDUSTRY. To the current issue of Chambers’s Journal, Mr J. G. Foulis has contributed an informing article on the kauri gum industry of New Zealand, and he says it is quite common for £IOOO worth of gum to be taken off an acre of land, while in some districts where the swamps are very rich over £6ooj worth per acre has been gained. "Although good gum is scarce and . must become scarcer," Mr Foulis says, '‘there at» unlimited supplies of poorer qualities in tne swamps, and the price depends on the invention and introduction of more efficient methods of washing soil than are in use at present. Gum-digging is a singularly fascinating occupation for men who have no objection to hard and dirty work. There is an element of excitement in it, as, near, where this is written, two men wore recently spearing gum, and by tea-time on the same day had taken out' gum to the value of 4H7. Excepting the labour employed by the bigger machine plants, nearly all the men digging or washing gum are working for themselves. They make their shanties ot sacks cut down the sides and sewn together with twine, and fixed over a frame ot poles cut from the nearest bush. Fire-places are built of tun cut in the vicinity with, a spade. The climate is such that it is quite comfortable to live in a sack shanty all the year round. PROSPECTS OF PROHIBITION, The Rev. C. H. Laws, D.D., during the course of an interview in The Metnodist, •Recorder, was asked to give some information concerning temperance reform in New Zealand. "Prohibition in New Zealand has long been deferred," he said. "It was once the hope of her reformers that she might in. this lead the world, but they miscounted the strength and determination of the foe, and not less the apathy of masses of the public. , . . The State control issue is clearly a negligible quantity, but its retention on the ballot-paper prevents prohibition, from .securing that absolute majority of votes without which no change can be made in the present system. The result of the poll came as a bitter disappointment to the temperance workers, and, I venture to say, as a welcome surprise to very many supporters of liquor. The failure to carry prohibition may bo attributed to the impatience of moral reform, which is one of the after-results of the wax; the fear that taxation, already pressing heavily on the pepole, would be increased if the revenue from liquor were lost; and, moat of all, to the able and unscrupulous propaganda of the liquor party, supported by the most thorough organisation and by wealth beyond what the temperance party can command. But we know no final defeat, and are already organising for the next contest, hoping that the elimination of the State control issue from ballot papers will leave ua, to face liquor in a straight-out fight. All New Zealand knows what the end, sooner or later, will be.” ON THE PATHWAY OF RECOVERY Relative to the report of the directors of the National Bank of New Zealand, The Investors' Guardian comments: "Throughout the difficult times that havfe followed the cessation of hostilities, first the period .if great trade activity and high prices, and then the reverse —trade stagnation and falling values, the National Bank of New Zeinland has pursued a steady course, and although it could not bo expected to escape the effect of the rapid changes that occurred, has been able to make good profits and emerges from the trials stronger from the experience and from increased resources, new Zealand trade suffered with that of the rest of the world, but the stability of the dominion, the quick recovery of wool values and favourable prices for some of its products have carried it through with success so far, though meat prices have been low. The worst of the period of stress has passed for the dominion, and a steady move has been mad© on the pathway of recovery.”