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Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1923, Page 2

Is a recent speech in the Commons, referring to the Imperial Conference, Mr Baldwin, Prime Minister, said: “It should lie possible to devise u way by which within Hie Empire homes and work may he found. To both there are insuperable difficulties in this small island to-day. Sir Alfred Mond, in the course of an interesting speech in the House of Commons during consideration of the Board of Trade estimates’. said he regretted the slow development of trade with Russia and Chinn, when every effort should be made to assist in restoring settled conditions in the direction of Empire trade wherever there was opportunity for organised development. The Colonial Office prepared many schemes for Empire trade development, but it also said, “There is no money to put them in operation.” “It is absurd,” proceeded the speaker, “to say that the financial resources of tho country cannot squeeze out a few hundred millions in order to get on with this work. Every kind of loan is being put on the London market, hut- the only loan we are unable to launch is one to develop our own Empire.” Sir Alfred Mond went on to say that lie hoped the Imperial Economic Conference would not he content with registering platitudinous resolutions. “Wo are much too timid in using our credit in order to bring Britain into a eompetitve position. It is an obsession with some people that the right thing to do is to sit still and pay our debts. But that may be national destruction.” I’efrsvinally, he said, be had a firm belief in the future of British industry and looked forward to its speedy revival. Mr James Gould (Cardiff’) who is a prominent Welsh shipowner, declared that the Germans are rebuilding and equipping their factories with the latest machinery. They would undercut Britain and sell their goods in London at, two-thirds the price of British production.

At the recent sitting of the New Zealand Counties Association at Wellington, a sub-committee was set up to deal with the Highways Act, and the remits sent in to the conference for dismiss eon. It nils rather a fluttering compliment to the "Westland County Council that two of the three remits sent in by that body, were accepted by rlic special committee, and embodied in the considered report drafted and submitted to the Conference, and finally adopted for presentation to the Government. The remits so embodied were: (1) ‘‘That the Conference approves the constitution of district highways councils, but for purposes of economy in the general administration of the Highways Act, suggests that such Councils should be given wider powers and duties in regard to road works in their respective highways districts, and in the delegation of such powers and duties to the constituent County Councils'*; and (2) “That in the opinion of the Conference the scheme of taxation required to conform with the income of the Main Highways Board is beyond the resources of the local authorities, unless excessive taxation is imposed jon the ratepayers.’’ The suggestion oi t-lie Westland Council to meet this last mentioned condition was adopted also in part, the main feature suggested bv the Council being retained.

Tiiv. building now being erected in Meld Street for the dairy factory destined to be so central for tlie whole ol North Westland, has now assumed substantial proportions. The building is to be very commodious and will be equal to an output of 1,000 tons of butter annually, it. will be the largest, as it will t>e the latest type of dairy factory oil the Coast, if not in the whole of the northern part of the South Island. The equipment will he all of the very latest and the whole arrangement of the factory is to be on lines entirely modern. The building occupies a good site in town, and no doubt will become olio of the show places, the public taking a pride in the establishment of such a useful industrial plant for the district. It is the intention of the directors to finish the outside as strikingly as the inside, and the grounds are to lie ornamented, and the premises made in every way presentable. Mr H. T. Parry, the managing director, who is in charge of the building operations, is carrying through the work with every attention to detail. It would appear that the community will enjoy a very pleasant surprise when the building is completed and in operation. Its establishment will ensure the dairying wealth of the district being retained within our own boundaries and will prevent outsiders ltterally taking the cream out of the district. The "enterprise is one which should be of great benefit to the settlers and to the progress of We-stland.