NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1746, 10 May 1913, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

A TRADE COMMISSIONER'S VIEWS. (By TelonraDh.--Snecial OorrciSDondon'..) Auckland, May* 0. "I am impressed with tlio productiveness of New &aland," remarked Mr, \V. 6. Wickliam, Dritish Trado Commissioner in tho Dominion, to a "Herald'" roprosontativo yesterday, "but," ho went oil, "more ot your land should be doing its duty." Proceeding, Mr. Wickliam said that New Zealand ought to hate a big future, but in his opinion until it becomes more populous it will liavo no real chance ay a manufacturing country. "Populate Now Zealand first," ho said, "and the manufacturers will follow where thero is room lor thcni. In thk> meantime, go on with your produce, ami'do everything possible to cheapen its production. I do not mean lo suggest that wages should Iw out down, but the bigger a country grows tlw more economical and Hie Cheap:* becomes the distribution of goads. "Tlio most imporliint item 111 tlio cost of living in New Zealand," proceeded the Commissioner, "is the distribution of nn extraordinarily varied lot of gedds to a limited number of psoplo living over a scattered area. Tho bigger the population the easier and more rapid the locomotion becomes, while costs arc reduced in every direction. Double the railway traffic, and vou can afford to double (lie tracl:«. As soon as you do that you can probably double the speed of (he trains that travel over them. "New Zealand is not fccurmg enough immigrants," concluded Mr. Wickliam. "Tliey would come here readily enough if vou would offer them inducements. The iirst. essential is to have the land ready for tlfcni; also, yon should make sure that the land you intend placing them on is not run up in price by gamblers to more than its market value before the immigrants get here. '