TRADE IN AUSTRALIA.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19012, 1 August 1933, Page 2

TRADE IN AUSTRALIA.

FEELING OF OPTIMISM. DEPRESSION THING OF THE PAST. HON. G. J. SMITH’S RETURN. "So far as depression is concerned, if. is hardly mentioned in Australia. The Australians consider that the depression is a thing of the past, and are very cheerful and attending to business. I was very impressed with the growth of all the places I visited.” The Hon. G. J. Smith, M.L.G., has come back to Christchurch from a trip to Australia with an “all’s right with the world” feeling, and the words above were part of the hasty comment made on his trip by Mr Smith to a Christchurch Sun reporter. He took the journey for health reasons, and visited Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra in his travels. “I am gle« to be back In New Zealand,” he sard, “and I feel very much better for the trip and the rest. We had good weather all the time, and 1 had the pleasure of meeting the leading politicians in each capital. I visited. ’ I was very Impressed-’ with the warm welcome given me as a visitor from New Zealand. Defence Activity.

“During my stay in Melbourne 1 onee more met the Australian Minister of Defence (Senator Sir George Pearoe). We had a very pleasant discussion on affairs In general, and 1 understand that it is Australia's Intention in her defence reorganisation to concentrate on strengthening the Air Force and the land forces. Sir George Pearoe asked me to visit the munition factory at Melbourne, and I did so. “I must say that I was much impressed with the lay-outvOf the factory, and the apparently efficient standard of the work. The equipment i 3 capable of turning out anything in the way of big shells or small arms ammunition, and with the factory working at full capacity, I think that the needs of both Australia and New Zealand could be supplied easily If any arrangement were come to, “There has been, I know, a lot of criticism about the expenditure at Canberra, but if the critics would go there and see how the money has been applied, they would find that Australia is building not altogether for the Australia of to-day, but for the capita) city of the Australia of the future, with its increased population and possibilities.

“in Canberra they have an Institute of Anatomy worth thousands of pounds. The research work being carried on there will be very helpful to Australia and the world in general. Also, there is a School of Forestry, which is working on forestry and afforestation questions for the whole of Australia. The work being carried out is magnificent. "The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is also situated at Canberra, and is being -run very much on the same lines as our own department. As an Instance of the work being done by It, I was told that the research workers have found a remedy for a pest that was attaoldng the pineapple industry in Queensland. The solution of that problem, I am told, resulted In a saving of a full halfmillion a year to the Queensland growers.

The Northern Territory.

"One of the features of Federal political activity iij Australia is the development of the Northern Territory, and the members of the Ministry seem to be very serious In -their Intention to preserve the territory and so preserve all Australia. I believe that If the Australian Government Is prepared to offer sufficient attraction, British capitalists, after their experience of the last few years with foreign countries, will be glad to invest in a country under the British flag. “I could say much more if time permitted," concluded Mr Smith, "but I have very pleasant recollections of the people I have met, and my wife and I "were struck by the extreme courtesy and helpfulness of everyone. Policemen, tram conductors, and people generally showed a disposition to welcome a stranger in the land that was very pleasant."