SIR JAMES PARR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 31

SIR JAMES PARR.

LONDON, July 7. Mr L. S. Amery (Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs), toasting Sir James Parr, who was the chief guest at an Empire Producers’ lunch, paid a tribute to the high standard of New Zealand’s High Commissioners who, he said, had educated Britain into realising New Zealand’s economic position and patriotism. He recalled that Sir James Parr a a Mayor v-f Auckland had weloomed him on his first arrival in Aew Zealand. Since then New Zealand, like the Empire, had made immense strides. The Empire, today was different from what it was 30 years ago—infinitely greater, stronger and more united—and its future evolution would make it different 30 years hence. New Zealand’s High Commissioners had assisted greatly in shaping and developing Empire sentiment. Sir James Allen was returning to New Zealand with the memory of countless friendships and the consciousness that a great creative work had been accomplished. Everybody was sorry that Sir James Allen was going, but was ready to extend the same cordiality to Sir James Parr, confident that he would carry on the work with the 6ame efficiency and congeniality. Sir James Parr acknowledged the tribute. He pointed out that New Zealand poured out a stream of £60,000,000 worth of exports annually, supplying half of Britain’s mutton and lamb She exported all her butter to Britain and supplied 45 pe- cent, of the cheese, in which she beat even Denmark. It was a remarkable tribute to the productivity of New Zealand that the whole of tne exports had expanded by 400 per cent, in the past decade. There was likely to be a corresponding increase in the next decade resulting from hydro-electric developments. remarkable testimony to the equal division of New Zealand’s wealth was shown in the fact that there were 735,000 Savings Ba*ik accounts, equalling one to every two persons, and averaging £65 per head. In New Zealand there were no millionaries and men possessing half that amount could be counted on one hand. While ready to trade with foreigners the Dominion preferred to trade within the family. New Zealanders as primary producers viewed with the greatest anxiety the continuance of the British coal strike because it reduced the purchasing power and th s was reactive on the Dominion’s trade with Britain. It was a tragedy to New Zealanders to realise that foreigners supplied the bulk of the Dominion’s motor cars and all hoped that the British mapufacturers, in conjunction with the New Zealanders themselves, would help to reverse the position. He believed that this huge trade rightly belonged to Britain. Why should millions be poured into the lap of foreigners when this money ought to provide work for the British unemployed? Was it because the British manufacturers produced, a small-power car whereas New Zealand’s roads and hills required a high-power one? Therefore Britain’s taxation on horsepower had a deterrent effect on her exports. It ought to be possible to find a medy to enable Britishers to capture New Zealand's motor trade. The British manufacturers had done much in supplying small cars valued at £2OO, but the calamity was that only O’-e-tenth of the demand for cars of that type could be supplied. “Trade among family” was Nek Zealand’s slogan for supplementing and cementing the ties of kinship and language. Sir James Allen said he hoped that the Merchandise Marks Bill before the. House of Commons would be placed in statute form satisfactory to the Dominion.