ADDRESS BY MR MASSEY.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1920, Page 4

ADDRESS BY MR MASSEY.

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, May 19

Interesting references to public, finance were .made by the Prime Minister at the annua] dinner of the New Zealand Dental Association to,niglit. Mr Massey sard that he did ->ot wonder that there was to-dav a great clamour for public expenditure. Development, improvement' and expansion, were wanted in every direction, and each ol the claims was in itself good ; but New Zealand bad onlv a certain amount of money to spend, and that point could not be emphasised too strongly. ‘ : rt will take us nil 'our t'me- to avoid a wave of depression/’ aid the Prime Minister. “We do not want .depression, and I believe that it can be, avoided; but it can be avoided only by care and economy and industry on the hart of the people of this country. We must curtail the extravagance that has been going on in t#>wn and country for a long time past. Aloney has been plentiful in New Zealand, acre plentiful, perhaps, than in any other part of the Empire. The people of the Dominion have concentrated during the war on doing everything they possibly could to supply, the heart of the Empire with products it required for the use of its people, and for the army and naVy. Hie consequence has been that money has poured into this country in a way we had never experienced before; but a change is coming over the scene. You 'will have seen from London that already there has been a drop in prices. The commandeer of our produce is coming to an end and we must not expect to receive for our principal product the prices that tie have been receiving. There is no question about 'it that some people will see consolation in a reduction of the cost of living. We all want to see the cost of living reduced, 'but we must remember we are not likely to have the amount of money to spend that we have had during the last few years. That is why’l wish to impress upon the public of this country the j necessity of being careful.”