“SLUMP NEARS ITS END”

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1932, Page 9

“SLUMP NEARS ITS END”

OPINION OF MR. W. J. POLSON HOPES FOR OTTAWA CONFERENCE. NECESSITY FOR FRESH MARKETS. RETURN TO PROSPERITY A RESULT A belief in the brightness of the near future, based, on his hopes for the result of the. Otta,wa conference and the immediate possibilities of extensive-new markets being found for New Zealand products in th© East,, was expressed by Mr. W J. Polson, M.P., Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union,., in opening the Taranaki winter show, at New Plymouth yesterday. . “There is every reason to believe that; the slump' is ; near its end,” Mr. Polson said. “I am satisfied that we shall in - the'next few. months begin to climb the ladder to prosperity again. It will not - be any sudden leap to prosperity, but it' will be. a slow process of recovery, we , shall work ourselves back to our original , position in. a few years.” _ f - Mr. Polson said he was looking to ths . Ottawa conference to enable the British Empire to get. back: on the rails to prosperity. Some people said that, the country. should not waste money on sending a large number of delegates. Others realised that 'the Ottawa conference was ■ perhaps the greatest milestone in the hhtoryj of the Empire since the Ameri- . can War- of Independence. . The conference might’ create history and give tha , British-Empire a driving ’ force . that would, carry'it on with renewed vigour.., If New/Zealand sent her delegates in a bargaining spirit it would do little goodi,,, ; ‘ He hoped the delegates would, be. able ••‘to realise tbat tbe whole of New Zealand was behind them in their effort to achieve results that' would v benefit the Empire. “If the whole of • the future prosperity of the Dominions and Britain and. the welding together or the Empire depends on the Ottawa conference I do not think we need worryover the expense of sending delegates to ' the conference,” Mr..Polson added. New Zealand had learnt the lesson that, trade was necessary to her. She had to stimulatejt-rade and increase her. exports, and he would like to see an increase in the exports‘of secondary products.. Markets undoubtedly existed in the' East, in the Malay States and Archipelago and in China. Men who had been sent to make observations in these parts had reported that markets were .available. Australia had found markets available, and by exploiting these new markets she. had increased her export trade to ' the extent of £19,000,000. Australia exported to 50 other ‘ countries besides - Great Britain,'largely to eastern- coun-. tries. She had begun to. look fori othercustomers than Britain, and it was New Zealand’s job to do -'the' same. . /' New Zealand, said Mr.' Polson, was jn the same position as England ; was re-, garding' Europe when Europe began- ter push out into other avenues of', trade. England discovered she had to find othef. markets than Europe, and it was-the' duty of New Zealand to push out. and find other 'inarkets where opportunity existed for her trade. ■ t ' “I believe,” Mr.. Polson concluded, “that the people of -New Zealand are determined that something' of that kind should be done. That,; in conjunction with-the Ottawa conference, will mean that in the near future' the corner on ’ the road to prosperity will really be [turned.” *’' ' ' • j