NO CAUSE FOR ALARM.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15037, 4 August 1914, Page 10

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM.

QUIET CONFIDENCE IN A STRONG POSITION.

(SPF-CTAI. T0 : "Trra press")

WELLINGTON, August v 3..." . The Hon.. James Allen (Minister of Finando..,;and Defence), .when .he was "interviewed ' this evening, spoke with quiet confidence of the * financial -position of the Dominion. Ho declared himself decidedly of opinion that there was no cause for uneasiness so far as this country was concerned. There was, he remarked, a loan.to bo renewed in .December, but it? was hoped that the •troublo would all be over before that time. In any case, the necessary provision would be made. The loan mentioned by the Minister is the unconverted portion of tho Ward five- million loan, an amount of £3,200,000. Questioned as to the necessity of raising a further loan to -satisfy the ordin- \ ary requirements of the country in tho way of public works and so forth, Sir .Allen remarked, "I don't think we have anything to bo frightened about. We havo plenty of money to go on with for some time. I don't anticipate any financial trouble. Public works will be carried on as usual, so far as I can judge." ■■.--.• Ihe confidence that obtained. Mr Allen went on to stato, was exemplified in the fact that no exceptional haste was being made to pass tho Banking Act Amendment Bill (providing for State guarantee of bank notes-. It would come up in the ordinary way to-morrow. Regarding State advances, the Minister said that ho had not given any instructions to restrict advances to settlers, workers, or local authorities. If the Advances Board had slowed down it had not reported tho fact to him. "We shall go along in quiet confidence," added the Minister, 'faceting all that is necessary to meet, and come out ail right in the end. I think that tho resources m tho community in themselves are quite enough to keep- us going ior the timo and to see us through. I don't* think that w© wero ever stronger financially than wo aro now."