NEW ZEALAND

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11026, 24 December 1928, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND

AN AMERICAN VIEW. The monthly review oif the Hibernia Bank and Trust Company of New Orleans makes special reference to New Zealand in a recent issue. It is pointed out that “Dwellers in the Northern Hemisphere arc apt to mentally link Australia, and New Zealand together, and consider them tvs adjoining countries, particularly as both of them are the leading Oceania members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Few people realise, however that the# are five days’ steamer journey apart, as far removed from each other as Cuba is from Mrissaelniissetts. “Whilst the climate and mode of living in both territories are almost identical, the national lives are .separate and distinct. Australia is a pastoral, shipping and mining community, whereas New Zealand is almost exclusively pastoral. Australia is a labour union ridden country, something from which New Zealand is more or less free, and life is more even, and possibly a little more enjoyable in New Zealand, than ip Australia, although life in the latter country is distinctly delightful

“Taken as a whole, conditions' at present in New Zealand appear to he good; there is both public tranquility and a good measure of prosperity.' The bank then quotes >Sir George Elliott, chairman of the Bank of New Zealand, as the authority for the present prosperous condition of the Dominion primary producers who have received and continue to receive satisfactory returns, and of whom not more than 10 per cent, might be described as impecunious. The bank’s comment is: “This speaks volumes as to the general condition amongst the farming community, which is, of course th P backbone of the country. ... It is obvious that wool production is the major industry of the country, and it shares with Australia the honour of producing the world’s finest fleeces. Taken as a whole, New Zealand is undoubtedly pursuing the -even tenor of its way and 'is comfortably prosperous, and as long as there is a free outlet for its exportable products, this satisfactory state of affairs may be counted upon to continue.’’