IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1046, 8 February 1911, Page 6

IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

AND THE TRADE OUTLOOK. HON. T. MACKENZIE SPEAKS. (By Telegraph—Special BflpoHcr.l. Feilding, February 7. At the smoke concert held here tonight After the agricultural show, Mr. A. H. Atkinson made reference to tho Prime Minister's attitude regarding tho matters to be dealt' with at iho Imperial Conference. Later, in tho course of a speech, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture, combatted Mr. Atkinson's remarks. ■Tho Minister said that Mr. Atkinson was entirely in error ill stating declaration had been mado by tho Pruno Minister with regard to the subjects to bo discussed at the conference. Tliut was quite incorrect, as they had been tabulated and by Iho Prime Minister pic-, touted to Parliament.

Reference, ho said, had also been made to runninc tho country on a business basis. He quite agreed, but if'they were' going to run this country on business lines, it implied that they must get interest from all the railways and road works. That could not be carried' out, as a great-deal of the roads'and,.bridges money was spent in bringing out back-' settlers into closer touch with tho centres. It was a question of balance. If there was. a reasjnnblo return in the total that was a matter for congratulation.

Going on to another suhjcci, Mr. Mackenzie said that wo must , work up the population of thin country to such an extent that under a proper system of defence we could holu the land against a peoplo of equal civilisation. New- Zealand . was prepared to take her part in the responsibility of Empire., Lot Britain not pause too long before sho framed .some form of representative Assembly to ■'which every ono of her far-reaching Dominions would sent representatives on a basis of population, or somo other basis. The unrest in Canada should be heeded. . Tho time must como when tho masterminds who were guiding tho destinies of our (Empire must take the mattor seriously to heart. Some system could be evolved. lie did not agree" with those wlw were always talking against (formally. • His opinion was thai our danger wa< in tho East.

There were those who were constantly country. A leading English financial paper had stated that New Zealand wnjj ou the verge of finanri.il ruin, and tliut v statement had been copied by a paper winch eirc-ilnted in tho Fcilding district, rind was published not very far from . l-'eildfng. The same fimincia'l paper had stated that it was repotted from New Zealand that the people wero fleeing tlic country. Tie declared that the condition of' New Zealand was never liettcr than nt. tho present moment. Never in New Zealand could men who wished to do well,.bo better paid or better treated. Regarding Nov,- Zealand's future, his solemn conclusion was that it was entering an era-of steady prosperity. It had rightly been stated at this'gathering that the acricultural industries wero the commercial basis of this country. And what was tho position of thoso industries to-day? So far as wool was concorned. llicro was a prospect of it never being lower. Tho demajid-foi- wool had increased above the production. Cotton, which was wool's great opponent, was short in crops. Thereforf, if the iloelcs were fewer, and tho demand was greater, mid tho article in competition was weaker, wasthero not a great futuro for wool ? A« to meat, we were in competition with the

Argentine, mid were holding our own. Then tlio countries of Europe were not going to bo fed as they had been in the past. Tho stuff which was .Owing sold to tho workers of Germany was disgusting, and tliey would demand better meat;