THE FUTURE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20493, 11 March 1932, Page 10

THE FUTURE.

A HOPEFUL NOTE. SPEECH BY LORD BLEDISLOE. (PBJSSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) 1 WELLINGTON, March 10. The Governor-General,. Lord Bledisloe, when opening the annual ence of the United Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association; emphasised the value of the organisation in maintaining commercial morality, which had always been the outstanding and recognised* characteristic of British trade. - He sounded a hopeful note for the future of New Zealand and the Empire. ' "What awaits the world, the Empire and New Zealand in this momentous year of 1932?" Lord Bledisloe asked.', "The question at present is unanswerable, but at least the portents are favourable. The sudden and vigorous industrial awakening of Great Britain (as worthy to-day of the prefix 'great' as ever in her proud history), the rapid shinkage of the great army of unemployed and the world-wide confidence displayed in her inherent financial strength by the recent phenomenal rise of sterling on the world's currency, and exchange markets, betoken swiftly returning purchasing power on the part of New Zealand's best customer, which is bound to reflect itself in an improved demand at remunerative prices for some at least of our primary products. This demand seems likely to be progressively augmented if, at the forthcoming Empire Economic Conference at Ottawa, the genuine yearning which Great Britain has to confer material economic benefits upon this much loved Dominion can find full and practical expression as a result of *the readiness on the part of, New Zealand to afford reciprocal preference to .some of her chief factory products, which'are now. largely imported froin countries outside the British commonwealth of nations. Each Empire unit will. I feel sure, in the meantime, generate as far "as possible an internal atmosphere, favourable to mutual confidence and to the achievement of a fair balance of;commercial reciprocity." Lord Bledisloe added: Let us all strive in our respective spheres py co-operativo effort, by wide vision, and with minds fully informed on world problems to put all danger behind us at the earliest possible moment, so that we may seize every opportunity for promoting national, progi-ess. and economic rehabilitation, which will as* suredly, in due time, present itself, an opportunity of which 'the sweet uses of adversity' will have sharpened our wits, strengthened our arm. and tightened our moral fibre to avail ourselves with confidence and success.