The Hokitika Guardian THUESDAY. SEPT. 1st. 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THUESDAY. SEPT. Ist. 1921.

THE DII’FICI’I.T I‘FRIOD. Ni:w Zi-.ii xnii continues in tin- very ditlieiilt period which has beset il ut late. It is a condition of course rrcaled by the aftermath of the war i.ggrarated as the period has has been by strikis and upheavals, following the war in the Nollln'i ii Hemisphere gi nrally. The elleet on the valuei of the ehief products ot the DoilltlliiUi lms 1 1(*..11 the main cause ot all the tr.iulile. .aid the i Npericmr shows how diqieii-ift-iil the iomitty is upon the market. Value of its great pastoral products | l out both (locks and herds and the soil. We have lived and thrived on our exports. which are the natural pr ’ducts of the country. This is it lesson which Humid be kept in mind when in the near future l’arlinment will lie revising ill,, customs' tariff. When the task is in hand, it should he remembered that i he need for tile work is not protection •vises free trade, hut merely for reniii’, consistent with tile fact that the cheaper living is made, the better it will he for the nation, as a whole. It will not be wise! to raise a tariff 'rail to build up local industries, and'if by so .joing the products from such industries are made unduly dear. Very little prosperil v can entoe to the people as a

Mill In- false economy to attempt to aahiovc it through stub means. No doubt tliere is a good deal ot money sunk in Inc." 1 niaitiilact tires, hut to maintain those industries tile eotintr.v

must he spared from a heavily ft elective tarilV. It is far more import tit tor tin' general prosperity oi New Zeaiaml to see its wool ami its meat, end iis other natural products, brought to market under the cheapest- conditionOi living, so that tile product can In' lull upon the markets el the ~ nriij in tccii greatest bulk as quickly as possible. Iho iiitiowing money in rctiiiu. Mill stimulate trade and iniereoiu: e generally and maintain a solid air of

prosperity. To retrieve the present tinuncial position of this country the wool and meat markets require to show a dei idi j improvement. These tue tti.it In s nllcetiiig this district in pai'tieular. The docks and herds have increased here greatly of late, and the dilference hetMei n good and had markets me,in. many thousands of pounds to the i oniinuiiity for the year. Stock for installer though of equal quality to that of a yeai ago. i- rotiirning barely one half ol the former figures'. Wool is im -j. li*_ I'lle praetietilly and in many iiist.ui'cs, is In ing stored. What we are fus>ittg through here ill a comparatively s'liall v ay, is being expericni-cil to a mrch .renter degree elsewhere, mnl this for-

ic! reduction of returns accounts for the stagnation and stringency, which is manifesting itself on all sides. M hj| (1 incomes are being seriously affected, expi Uses are keeping up, Especially heavy n the Government taxation which is having a very severe effect in seme

quarters. Oh all sides financiers arc

warning the country as to' tin- need for thi'ilt. If the position is to lie tilled over with a minimum of financial inconvenience, a general curtailment must bo enforced. This will create a men-'

-nix' of unemployment and dislocation which will l-e a further dffiienltif, iait dial conditions must be faced as a means to an end the surmounting of greater troubles ahead if the effort is 111 it made to grapple with the uimplexities of the situation now. Parliament, to meet s.i soon now, will hate m tiling Inure difficult, and im port tint to handle than tile pressing financial situation, which rails ffir Wmragt’ and determination to ensure a welcome degree of relief.