CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1935, Page 9

CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE

RECOVERY OF DOMINION MUST MEET BRITAIN’S NECESSITY. REGAINING OF FORMER GOODWILL. OPINIONS OF CABINET MINISTER. “There is no country which will emerge more completely from the depression than New Zealand —of that lam completely confident,” said Mr. S. G. Smith, Minister of Education, at the civic reception tendered him at New Plymouth last night. “Already there are definite signs of recovery.” The real difficulty of the present lay in the position of the dairy industry, he said. Other primary products, if suffering from the effects of depressed markets, commanded prices that were at least as satisfactory as could be expected. Steps were being taken at present to see that the New Zealand dairy industry would be put in a position in which it could meet competition from any other part of the world. Referring to the British market, Mr. Smith stated that the advance of aviation made in recent years had increased a •hundredfold Great Britain’s problem of national defence, and this consideration had largely been responsible for the strong endeavour at present being made to rehabilitate British agriculture. Britain was determined that if her colonial supplies were cut off in time of war she would at least be able to half-feed her people. ’ Naturally such measures had an effect on the market for New Zealand produce, but it was New Zealand’s duty to fit in with, rather than oppose, the necessity of Britain. It was up to New Zealand to regain the complete goodwill she had enjoyed on British markets for 30 years. If she was successful in regaining that complete goodwill, then the way would jbe made easier. The way in which Great Britain had come through the ' greatest economic crisis in the history of the world, maintaining its financial stability, its monarchy and the traditions and system of its Government, had won the admiration of the entire world. New Zealand as an integral part of a stable Empire could look forward to the future with confidence.