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Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1926, Page 2

The relations of trade and polities in regard to production and marketing are many sided, and in Australia, as here, the subject is recurring. constantly. It is interesting to compare Mr.

Bruce’s remarks with those of Sir Lennon Raws (president of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Chambers), made an hour or two before the l’rime Minister’s. The feature of his address was his emphasis of the need tT disentangling trade and finance from politics. * ‘lf conditions hlxve readied u stage in Australia,” he said, ‘‘that demand an increasing degree of Government interference; if we have the conception that progress can come from inhibition, from the elimination or restriction of the more enterprising and efficient, by the substitution of bureaucracy for private enterprise, then we have lost the virile spirit of our forefathers, and are being drugged into lethargy by false prophets. There is nothing reactionary in combating these tendencies; there is nothing anti-social. Those who arc allti-social are those who are spreading the doctrine that bureaucracy can bring about better conditions than can be achieved by personal initiative and enterprise. They divert attention from the real problems, or think that a high standard of liviing con he maintained without high personal efficiency all along the line. Such ideas are part of the legacy of the war, when everyone came under the drill-ser-geant, when efficiency was sacrificed to regimentation, when burohucracy ruled supreme. There was, said Sir Lennon Raws, continual disatisfaction in both primary and secondary industries. and most of the causes of tomplaints arose from Governments. Higher costs of production were due in part to the operations of the Arbitration Courts, excessive taxation,, and to increased costs of Government services. Referring to the dairying industry, he saiil that the problem in dairying was the educating of the dairyman to cultivate his land properly, to improve the standard of bis herds, to feed them properly, and to increase their productivity Was there, lie asked, the remotest connection between these problems and stabilisation schemes, export control boards and bonuses? Were those who advocated such schemes true friends of the dairyman were they not his enemies, because they diverted his attention from the real problem ?

The Minister of Lands, who is on the Coast just now. and who is being welcomed to this district to-day, is an earnest advocate for more production to meet the difficult financial times ahead. It is a matter for regret that bis stay here is so short, and his sojourn so very limited that be will not have time to see Westland and gunge the possibilities for more production. The need for greater land settlement as a means to secure more production would, we feel sure, impress him. Any inducement to settlers with comparatively large holdings to cut up sections for closer settlement would be useful at this juncture. Reading would he necessary in some instances and that would he a very practical way to help, where there was the assurance that once the country were opened up the land would he available for settlement on terms to he approved. There is also the application of the Land Settlement Finance Act as an aid to local settlement if the Minister deputed officers to work out schemes which would attract the right class o! sett lers. Westland lias boon greatly neglected so far as land settlement is concerned, but that romissness should he made good now. The Department hits the officers experienced in land settlement schemes and they might be utilised in securing areas adjacent to factories where dairying could be cvpa tided. That is the readiest imams of adding to tin' production of the district., and the bsitory of dairying here is encouraging enough to justify a serious effort to place more of the right class of farmers on the land in 'Westland. We have drawn attention previously to the effective farming of small areas in the Arahura district. There is no doubt that several small farms could be created in other dairying centres of Westland, where dairying could be carried on successfully and that would mean the extra production desired. Production and more production will be undoubtedly the first chief aid to-meeting the financial stringency which seems to lie looming ahead.