The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1926. THE OUTLOOK.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1926. THE OUTLOOK.

Bixow we have written on the advisability of encouraging thrift among the young. But there is a lesson in the times for all, the outstanding text for which is personal economy and more production. This arises from tho fact disclosed by tho national situation, , namely that imports are. exceeding again the exports from tho Dominion. | With such a productive country as New Zealand this is not a comforting state of affairs. Deficits are always unpleasant to face, and certainly a national trade balance on the wrong side of the ledger, docs not conduce to a cheerful outlook. A gentleman connected with a financial institution at Dunedin, when speaking on the subject referred to, last week, went on to say regarding the position, that the remedy lies not so much in telling traders to cut out importing tilings wo can produce here, or things we can quite well do without, or at leant posti pone buying. It lies with every individual in the community taking the present position as applying to himself, and determining to give traders no encouragement to import goods to compete with those we can make hero, or luxuries we should not in the circumstances ask for. The shortage of money may effect importation anil restrict, some traders, who would imprt, if they could, to tempt our cupidity, but if we personally do not restrict ourselves, possible profits will be no encouragement to sound financial. importers to continue to bring in goods we can well do without at present. “When one hears of farmers walking off their farms in the North Island, continued the speaker, and knows of many cafes in both islands of heavy indebtedness that cripple producers’ operations, one realises that there are tremendous problems to he dealt with in increasing our exports. Some results must follow from tightened finance, and there may, if depreciated values continue, li? brought home to most of us the necessity for harder work, less pastime, more attention to broad necessities, and less to pettifogging details that waste valuable and irrecoverable time. In view of the industrial position in England, which, through the appalling strikes occurring, must affect their buying power, there has not for some years been a time more pregnant with necessity here to practise economy, and to get to work, and not to argue about it.’’ All this is very sound advice. and it is for the people to follow it. The Prime Minister when dealing with the unemployed question the other day, advised all to “put their hacks into it,” and assist with greater production. Men who move in commercial circles have a very intimate knowledge of finance, and the indications day by day cannot be ignored, any more than the careful mariner at sea would disregard the warnings of the weather barometer. The seaman takes notice, and sets his course accordingly. The community can well afford to sit up and take notice of the advice from the commercial man. That is all tending in one direction. It is summed up by another Dunedin man. Sir George Fenwick, who said the remedy would appear to be of a two-fold nature; firstly, reduction in the volume of our import's, and secondly, an all-round increase in our production and exportation. It was to he hoped that our traders would seriously restrict their importations, and that, given a normal season, as regards weather and other conditions, our farmers would be -enabled to increase their production, so that at tlie close of the year upon which we had just entered the balance of trade would again lie in our favour, and to an extent sufficient at least to cover our overseas interest bill.