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Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1924, Page 2

Wk notice that Mr Massey has been extolling the good work done by the State Advances Department. It. will he thirty years this year since, under the Premiership of the late R. J. Soddon, Sir Joseph Ward in the. face ot much Conservative opposition established the Government Advances to Settlers Act. The. principle has boon developed ever since, greatly to the prosperity of the country. But what a fight the Liberals had to establish the principle, and wliat odium w*s cast upon them h_v the Opposition of those days (now the party in power). The object of the measure was to assist the men on the land by forcing down the rate of interest jm mortgages, and giving the country cheap money; and at the same time reducing the legal costs attendant upon the execution of mortgage securities. The State Advances Department has prospered from its first founding and is doing a great work in assisting to develope New Zealand. It has brought about tin enormous saving to the people in the matter of interest payments. In Mr Soddon there was a man who would brook no interference once ho set out. upon a definite line of policy. We know that later when establishing the State Fire Insurance organisation he had to fight the combine of all the established fire insurance companies—and he did it. The companies refused at the outset to grant reinsurances, but the opposition was maintained for a brief period only, la cause Mr Seddon was able to got what help lie required outside New Zealand, and when the source of fiis strength was realised, the private companies capitulated, and like cheap money, New Zi aland has had since cheap lire insurance. Mr Massey has been stressing the importance of the State Advances Department, and remarking upon the fact that the earning power of its capital will provide a certain amount of money which will bo re-let as it comes in. This is exactly the principle of the measure Sir Joseph Ward had in mind when he succeeded against strenuous opposition in putting it on tlie statute hook 30 years ago.

Mit Massey has returned from Lugk.nd a firm believer iu Imperial preference This apt-pars to lie sc, natur-lly, because Great Britain is cur first and best, customer for commodities. The (letter the trading conditions between the Homeland and the Dominion, the ricncr will be the reward for New Zealand. It is with Great Britain Unit tv* have our best overseas service—a service built tip steadily on New Zealand's export trade since the eighties. The 10 are rival countries outside the pale of the Empire, which compete seriously with New Zealand on the Hume markets. Argentine is one such, and in addition there is much British money invested there in concerns which rival the producers trade from this country. To a great extent Argentine has overshadowed New Zealand in the beef trade. It is not. surprising that Mr Massey’s going and coining a.s often as lie has to England’s shores, should have opportunity of noting the trailing conditions and realising the advantages it would he to the colonial trade, if Great Britain offered some preference to the overseas countries within the Empire. It seems essential that tlie viewpoint of the Dominions on matters of trade should he kept prominently before the Motherland. Trade is the essential tie in regard to progress and prosperity within the Empire, and if there is- to he true Imperial kinship it i.s for all pa its to co-operate legitimately in the desire to help the development of trade to the fullest advantage. Mr Massey is moving on right lines in regard to this matter, which should have more prominence than it does in the daily round to promote Imperial relations to better advantage.