LAND AND INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1932, Page 6

LAND AND INDUSTRIES

'"The drift into depression which is paralysing the world to-day might be arrested by the introduction of a vigorous State policy of marshalling our resources, viz., unemployed men, idle land, and fostering those local industries which hava more or less been crippled by. the importation of foreign goods (writes Alex. H. \vilkie). Primarily, the State should ensure that, as far as possible, the necessaries of life are produced and distributed so that the taxpayer can get something tangible m return for the amount of money he is now called upon, directly and indirectly, to pay. This would automatically set the wheels of prosperity in motion, and form the base for further development. With adverse trade balances, tariffs, and exchanges, each country is compelled more or Ices-to stand on its own legs, and the sooner we realise that fact the sooner we will regain stability. . . The remedy i 6 in the hands of the Government., and the time has arrived to co-ordinate and utilise the willing workers and idle land 6, and to evolve a system of production and distribution to take the place of paying for non-productive work and providing food for necessitous cases which is sappine the country of its substance. The sooner we realise that the ills of the present time cannot be cured by bleeding the patient, tlie sooner we will commence to make headway, and incidentally find work for the boys now leaving school who will otherwise swell the ranks of the unemployed Another hindrance to the transaction of business in New Zealand is the lack ot ready money, or moneys worth to act as a means of exchange for commodities which in some cases cannot be disposed of by the holders other than by a system or barter. This has been brought about by the shortage of gold caused by the cornering of 75 per cent, of it by trance and the United States, leaving other countries to cany on trade as best they cati._ Apart from gold, New Zealand is bountitully endowed with assets, but business generally cannot function till a means of exchange other than gold is temporarily substituted. Experts could guard against inflation, and trade could continue internally in New Zealand until normal conditions are restored. Why not then devise a means of exchange other than gold to stimulate trade? "With regard to the fostering of local industries, the timber trade is a case in. point (but there are many others). At present there are stacks of sawn timber miles long lying ready for sale, but foreign timber is being imported and NewZealand money is going out of the country to pay the wages of foreigners who produce it while thousands of New Zealand timber workers are out of employment."