The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING, Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1924. NEW ZEALAND’S INTERESTS

Southland Times, Issue 19290, 8 July 1924, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING, Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1924. NEW ZEALAND’S INTERESTS

Speaking at the opening of the Wellington Winter Show, the Prime Minister referred to the efforts of certain people ’in this country to import goods direct from European countries where depreciated currencies made their selling prices exceedingly attractive. German firms have been very active in trying to secure business in the Dominion, but the powers retained by the Minister of Customs, who can suddenly apply punitive duties, will probably check this move and induce New Zealand firms to consider anew the fact that it is in their own interests to promote in every possible way the country’s policy of Imperial Preference. On this question Mr Massey is taking his stand on the high plank of Imperial co-partnership, which should /be elaborated and expanded so as to facilitate trade within the Empire in every possible way. At the present moment London is our market place, and it is to our interests to see that we leave nothing undone which will assist to increase the purchasing power of the consumers to whom we sell our products. As we have shown on previous occasions the recovery of British trade is a matter of deep concern for ourselves, and as this involves the restoration of peace

Europe we we directly concerned with the efforts of the statesmen to find a way out of the post-war labyrinth. The acceptance of the principle that' the enlargement of Britain’s trade means a better market for our goods, carries with it concurrence in the argument that the Imperial Preference policy to which we adhere must > be enthusiastically promoted, because in the exchange of goods lies the promotion of our own primary industries on which we must depend. One problem which yet vexes Imperial relationships is that of exchange. It has been declared recently that the heavy exportations which have characterised our trade of late have given us an embarrassing volume of credit in the Old Land which is a disturbing factor. Not so very long ago, it will be remembered, the reverse was the case, and New Zealand traders felt the position keenly. The question is girt about by such complexities that it would be idle for anyone not conversant with the intimate details to discuss proposals for a solution, but it is obvious that if trade within the Empire is to be developed .as it should be these obstacles must be overcome. Argument on tariffs will not carry us very far on the road we desire to travel. There must be first of all a full recognition of the fact that in any scheme of Imperial Preference the advantages must be mutual—that there must be a common wish to develop the trade exchange to the benefit of both peoples. Imperial Preference must be carried right into the homes where it must find expression in the presence of goods manufactured within the Empire. With the demand for British goods we must secure improvement in trading facilities, particularly in shipping and finance, and out of this will grow a heavier consumption of our products in the Old Country with a lower marketing cost for the producer in this Dominion. In so far as settlement is concerned we must reconcile ourselves to the plain fact that in New Zealand we have not vast areas of unbroken land waiting to be settled by large groups of immigrants such as Australia, Canada and Africa can offer, and that probably is what the Windham report meant when it alluded to the absence of a land settlement policy in New Zealand. Our problem is not comparable with those of Australia and Canada, because we cannot tackle group settlement. Closer settlement in this country is desirable, but we must move prudently, absorbing the incoming people as expeditiously as possible, but never carrying immigration to the saturation point—even temporarily. Our pursuit of closer settlement, it seems, will not take us to the sheep country, but to those smaller areas of arable land which are yet too big to allow the holders to achieve the maximum of production. Our hand in Imperial settlement schemes must of necessity be modest; but we can play a big part in the furtherance of the Imperial co-operative policy, and Mr Massey is wise in keeping this aspect of the matter before the public.