NEW YEAR MESSAGE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 31 December 1927, Page 6

NEW YEAR MESSAGE.

FROM PRIME MINISTER, The Prime Minister, in the course of a New Year message, states: — Another year is closing, and I take the privilege of addressing a short message to my fellow citizens in the Dominion. Following upon the general election two years ago, when the people expressed their confidence in myself as Prime Minister, I stated that the guiding principle of my administration would be the safety .and stability of the State .and the Empire, the security of the individual, toleration with equal opportunity for all, and peace and order jn the comnuinity. These principles since that time I have endeavoured to

the best of my ability ter promote. During this period the country has passed through fl, time of difficulty which has proven embarrassing to many of our people. The reasons were mainly economic i.ll their character, and were not confined to,ogr own Dominion, but were wol'kl-wide In their caff.sc nod effect. New Zealand is dependent very largely for her prosperity upon external markets for the r . . _ 7 MiAjP’yV* tail of her primary products. Most iiff* portant among these markets is, Of course, Great Britain, and any depression in Great Britain, combined with it decreased purchasing jiHuH-ff on the part of our kinsfolk.; ill tile Homeland, is burned)atVl,y i'Oeeted in this country J>y 'diminished returns to our producers. Those factors unfortunately existed, with the, inevitable result Flint the Domiidtm suffered the experience of an adverse trade balance. The Dominion has undergone 'similar times of depression in the past, and the virility and industry of her people have enabled her to surmount these obstacles. But there is a lesson to be learned from these happenings. Greater attention must be paid to economic tendencies in relation to our oversea trading, and, our imports should be regulated by the value of our exports. I am glad to say that the trading position of the country has greatly improved as compared with last year. Our imports have decreased, while firmer and more stable prices arc being obtained for our exports, bringing much needed relief to the primary producer, upon whom the country is so largely dependent for its prosperity. Not least in this spirit of idealism is the effort to promote peace among the nations with a v ! ew to bringing prosperity to all mankind. It thus behoves all classes of our people to work together, to bunas far as possible petty and party dif-i forcnces, and to.strive earnestly for the common good. I congratulate my follow citizens again upon the better outlook v Ith which we face the No v A.ear, and ir its prosperity I silicon.|y hope that all may share.