THE FIRM ROCK OF OUR ECONOMY.

Chronicle (Levin), 26 June 1947, Page 7

THE FIRM ROCK OF OUR ECONOMY.

NEW PLYMOTJTH, June 25. ' "All I would say, especially to the new generation, is that we cannot i.solate ourselves from the economic affairs of the world," said Dr. G. Jobberns, Professor of Geography at Canterbury University College, in an address at New Plymouth last night. The present generation was being brought up on an economic creed that New Zealand must not let itself be.so dependent 011 Britain again. The new economic slogan was that they must widen the base of their economy and "insulate" tliemselves against disruption of the meehanism of work and commerce. "It may be as well to widen the base of our.' economy," Dr. Jobberns said, "so that we shall become less completely and directly dependent on our dairy cows and our sheep, and we must remember that whatever we may do in the way of establishing secondary industries, the most of the raw materials for them must be imported, so we are inevitably dependent on the resources of our farmlands and Britain is our only sure and safe market, the tirm rock on which our economy inevitably rests." Britain had just survived another war, eoming out of it impoverished and hungry. Britain, traditionally striving to hold the balance of power in Europvj, now found herself the potential holder of the balance of power on a wider stage. It was a position of great responsibility but great potential peril. "If ever there was a time for the British Dominions to stand by with Britain, the time is now," Dr. Jobberns continued. "I believe that Britain will come through her present troubles to even greater power and authority in the councils of the world.' :