FUTURE BRIGHT FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19240, 29 November 1930, Page 34 (Supplement)

FUTURE BRIGHT FOR NEW ZEALAND.

LORD BLEDISLOE GIVES OPTIMISTIC FORECAST. “What about the future of the Dominion?” was a common question at present, said Lord Bledisloe, speaking at the opening of extensions to the Rangiora High School yesterday. “Don’t let anyone deceive us that the future is not bright, for it is,” he remarked during an optimistic address. “But the grounds of optimism depend on the physique of the young people, the training with which they are provided, and upon rural develop-ment-rapid, continuous, systematic, and with a definite objective. What is going to be the ultimate destiny of the young human product, and whence is its value to be derived, “What I want to say is that there appears to be almost endless scope for the utilisation of such young people in this country as you are providing Tor at Rangiora in the matter of their education. Looking to the Land. “Your country is bound to be more closely settled and more intensely farmed, both in the matter of animal husbandry and arable cultivation, and any other process by which it is sought to develop unduly or unwisely this Dominion without paying due regard to rural development is bound to fail. Your population needs increasing in ! this country, and retaining, and what i you have to look to, I am certain, is I the land. I “For many years you will have to look to the land to provide the additional population which you require, and the land has got to be an economic proposition if it is going to be sufficiently attractive; and it is only going to be an economic proposition if the young people are prepared for it. Even those who are destined for urban employment will benefit from the training received at Rangiora, and if anyone hailing from town throws a doubt on this, tell him that whatever be the destiny of the young people the training is going to be of real value in after life.”