MR COATES' OPTIMISM.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17365, 29 March 1928, Page 6

MR COATES' OPTIMISM.

EXCESS OF EXPORTS.

NEW VISION OF THE FUTURE.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) TAURANGA, Wednesday.

"We do not hear so much about my Jeremiah friends lately," said Mr Goates, the Prime Minister, speaking at the opening of the East Coast railWay to-day, "but they sometimes raise their voices and assure us the oountry is going down. There are ahvays people who want to find fault with everything, but to those pessimistic gentlemen I would say. "Go to Tauranga and take one fleeting glance at the district and its people, and you will, see something to make you change your minds." For the 11 months of the year, instead of the trade balance being adverse, exports were greatly in excess of imports, while, in addition, the exports of lamb, mutton, beef, butter, cheese and cereals were exceeding all previous records. This satisfactory position was due not solely to the activities of the primary producers, as some people imagined,-but was contributed to by every man and woman in the country. "We Can now look forward definitely to better times and better things," he declared. "We mave new hopes, fresh anticipations, and a newvision of the future. We are a little part of the British Empire, but a very important one, and we are all striving toward the same end —to make the best of our country, and give the best opportunities to our people. By hard work we should be able to continue to be the most prosperous portion of this great and wonderful Empire." (Applause.)