BIG POPULATION ADVOCATED

Southland Times, Issue 23407, 14 January 1938, Page 6

BIG POPULATION ADVOCATED

MR JUSTICE BLAIR’S OPINION IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 13. A well-grounded conviction that the question of keeping up the population of New Zealand and at least quadrupling it was most vital and one warranting the earnest attention of anybody who had the welfare of the British Empire at heart has been brought back from England by Mr Justice Blair, who returned from 12 months’ leave of absence. . British financiers, it had been said, had been financing foreign nations and some of their experiences with loans had been disastrous, he said. With the Dominions, however, they knew their money was safe and they were prepared to be parties to what was a good investment. He was quite sure they would be prepared to found industries in the Dominion, but, of course, the conditions would have to be made attractive. Mr Justice Blair added that there was no question about the unity of the Empire, although there was some evidence of a wish on the part of the Irish Free State to dissociate itself from the British Commonwealth of Nations. Ample evidence to the contrary could be seen. He thought . the majority of the people in the lush Free State still wanted to be part of the Empire. He had never seen the slightest indication on the part of thinking Irish people to do otherwise.