THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1921. THE SILVER LINING.

Wairarapa Age, 9 December 1921, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1921. THE SILVER LINING.

\\ e have had a good deal to say about the Irish settlement during the last few days, because not merely the peace of the Empire, but its commercial welfare are to a surprising degree bound up in the state' of Ireland. New Zealand probably does not send to Ireland more than a few thousand pounds worth of produce a year. She imports a good deal from the Emerald Isle, but most, of it she could get very well elsewhere if the supply were cut off. And yet the farmer in the Wairarapa is more deeply concerned to-day in a real and satisfactory settlement of the Irish problem than in the Main Roads Bill. Why are we unable to sell our wool and meat at a reasonable profit in our main market? Primarily because the British consumers, who number millions, have suffered a severe reduction of purchasing power owing to the closing or restriction of Britain’s chief markets by economic and politi

cal upheavals. To understand the effect of the Irish position we have only to ask ourselves how industry and finance in New Zealand would suffer if suddenly the Maori wars were renewed on the old scale, engrossing the whole attention of the Government and distracting merchants and manufacturers. The state of affairs in Ireland during the last two years has alone been quite enough to paralyse a large section of British industry and throw many thousands of men out of employment. It is true that South ern Ireland produces a great deal of the class of produce that New Zealand sells to Britain, and that the output of this produce will tend to increase when peace is restored. But the no\? Zealand farmer can look complacently upon that prospect. The settlement of Ireland will increase the purchasing power of both that country and Britain to such an extent as far to counterbalance any loss to New Zealand by Irish competition. If only wc could hear of a pacification in Russia and other parts of Europe our own outlook would be greatly improved.