PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1927, Page 4

PRESS COMMENTS.

The Umpire lias attained a weight in international counsels, which is hardly yet realised by its own component parts. The Dominions have grown "bile asleep. “Poverty Bay Herald.”'

Prosperity can best be promoted by the practice of economy and by the removal ol artificial restrictions upon trade and industry, and that, as already pointed out. is as much the public's responsibility as the Government’s. The coming year will not he n fat ’one, hut it need not he so lean as some folk tear it the puhlie will only face realities.—Wanganui “ Chronicle.”

There is a growing demand for better facilities in country schools, and we arc satisfied that the new spirit which seems to he moving in educational affairs in this country will inspire the educational authorities of the Dominion, not to rob the country schools of their hard-won advantages, hut to provide greatly improved facilities, more liberal staffing, and a distinctly higher status in the smaller country schools, as well as in the schools in the more important country centres of population.—“ Timaru Herald.”

Tile Tariff Association declares that it lias for its chief object “the prevention of a noil-economic increase in the Customs tariff,” and that it is opposed to the reversal of New Zealand policy ‘by tlie imposition of a protective rather than a revenue-producing tariff.” These two declarations are not quite the same, for our tariff lias become protective ns well as revenue-pro-ducing. The danger is that at the bidding of a handful of manufacturers it may become highly protective. As practical politics, free trade may be ruled out. The conflict is between j those who believe in moderate protoc- j tion, with special regard to the work-: mg costs of tho farmer, and those who! wold raise the tariff still further in the j interests of secondary industries. Since! the Tariff Association proposes to! -champion the cause u moderation, and'

mentions the farmer ns deserving specmi consideration, its activities may lie welcomed, though in saying this we do not imply that we give it our unquali-j tied blessing. Its entry into the con- ' troversy should promote that full discussion and investigation which the subject needs.—Auckland “ Star.” I i

Tlie adoption of a policy which will enable our industrial population to' grow must in turn enlarge the market for those whoso part it is to sell the goods, and preference for articles manufactured in the. country will give that confidence necessary for steady extension of our activities. The retailer has a part, and a most important part, to play in the development of his own market. A hare handful of people

could farm Now Zealand, and all the j needs of the farmers could be supplied by a few distributors. But New Zealand would be a poorer place for the primary producers ns well as far the traders if it were not for the industrial population that is being created. By assisting that great section of the community, obviously, the traders must be helping themselves.”—“Lyttelton Times.”

As s\ people we have got into lax | and haphazard wavs; we have become somewhat thriftless and profligate; we j have defied the economic and industrial laws by setting U P 1111 arbitration system that has created a false system of values and substantially lowered the producing capacity of the country. This has been possible in periods of plenty and prosperity and high prices for prodnee. hut now that we have begun Lo feel the ninch a revision of our ways and our outlook is necessary. c can only enjoy more by earning more, and when this truth is taken to heart, and applied In a practical way. the Dominion will take another lease of life and progress as it has never progressed before, and work will he available for all who lit themselves for it and are prepared to give of their best. Taranaki Daily New.- ” Tt is very desirable that farmers and millers should work hand in hand : hut

until the miller gives some proot that he will not desert the farmer after using him, he should not he allowed a very important place in the tanner s calculations. The farmer’s first, last, and only concern at this stage should he to light for himself. No one elseis in danger, no one else’s success or failure will seriously allect tho general public. It was actually announced yesterday by a miller, solemnly, and as if in answer to a general belie I' to the contrary, that the millers did not op-

pose dumping duties, or intend taking any line of action against the farmers. The iiuuortant questions are. A) hat have they dene to help the farmer, and what do they now propose to do in return for the help he is giving them:’ If tbe millers are the farmers’ friend* tiny should give some clear prnol ol friendship befrre b<i'"r carried anvlurther on the grower’s back.—Christchurch “Press.” There i* obviously no analogy between the administration of quarantine regulations and I lie conduct of business operations. Tho decision whether the granting of pratique to a shin would he prejudicial to public health must be made by competent officers alter personal examination of all the relevant facts; it cannot be safely entrusted to another medical odicer whose

only knowledge, is obtained from a brief telegram.—“ New Zealand Herald.” Tf the New Zealand manufacturer could persuade the New Zealand con-

sumer tlil’l the New Zealand article is. the best thing ho ran buy for the money, the consumer will buy it. Ho will ask the retailor for it. If one retailer does not stock it. he will look about for a retailer who does. Some Now Zealand manufacturers have done this, and are deservedly reaping tho profit of doing it. But others have entirely neglected to do wliat these

liuvo done, and what the foreign nannfneurors long ago learned they must do. They have in some eases noaleoted to study the public's aetual desires, itnd in more eases they have neglected to take the proper slops to let the public know very much about their products. They should lake fur their model the foreign rivals who are troubling their peace, and if they oau do a.s well as these they will have no need to talk of Iho consumer's “prejudices.”—Christchurch “Press.” AYhat seems to he greatly needed is a spirit of balanced optimism. Now Zealand lias wonderful resources and a law-abiding, hard-working community, 'and that the days of prosperity will return is certain but all must eo-oporate ai d work towards .that objective. The spirit of depression and pes.sini.isni will not help toward-, the return of good times, hut optimism and hard work will rpiiekly bring results. Every cloud has a silver lining, and it is absurd, because difficulties Lsivo arisen, to take up the attitude that all is lost and that established institutions, which have proved satisfactory in the past, must he overthrown. Any such revolutionary changes might lead to conditions infinitely worse than any yet experienced. —Wanganui “Herald,”

N<> doubt over-importation is one of those things that light themselves in time. The economists will toll us that in the long run the country does not hire more than it sells. In the meantime. however, tiio Dominion is not making tip the leeway of the hist few "ears, and until it is in a position to do so—one of the tv.iys in which it may enable itself to do so being to avoid extravagance in tile use of imported articles—there is not much prospect of a relief from the taxation that is still imposing upon industry a burden of very real magnitude and weight. --“Otago Daily Times.”

The rapid recovery of Britain’s trade

; is alone reason for higher hopes, since : this country will a.s quickly derive benefit from the animation in British industry and commerce a.s it suffered front their stagnation last yen-. That i is already evident in the rising prices ' ot wool, which is still the largest single item in the Dominion's export trade. Commodity values generally seem to have fallen to lower levels, hut stable remunerative prices are firmer foundations for the maintenance

01 prosperity man wuuiy am mating quotations that raise the producers’ expectations to giddy heights of extravagant speculation, only to dash them into the depths of disillusionment. New Zealand's pre-war prosperity was not won by the .sensational profits of commercial booms, but by ihe steady accumulation of moderate rewards for its skill and industry in.the cultivation of tho soil.— “New ZeaVmd Herald.”

The point that most closely affects tiie producers of this countiV is, without doubt, the possession of'.satisfactory balances at. the banks, and what concerns them very closely is the means whereby those balances can he improved. To .some extent the nyttter is it! their own hands, but the chief factor is an upward trend of prices for produce and a reduction in the costs of production.—“Taranaki Daily News.”

If lj'.iid values came down to a figure that would permit profitable fanning the solution of the problem would begin in earnest, and New Zealand would imeindjately begin to develop along lines leading to the creation of solid and enduring prosperity. ]t would seem that reliance on automatic processes of deflation has rendered the 'trouble more acute, because years have boon wasted in expectancy of the miracle which is apparently no nearer now than it was in 1918, when it was adopted as the Government sheet anchor.—“ Southland Daily Xows.” I \u,y effort to prevent the handicap 'ping of an important industry by the dumping of goads is welcome, hut it would appear that the Government, having decided to act, is taking a course which will limit the amount of assistance to the barest minimum.— “Lyttelton Times.”

A.ppait’llil.v we have not yet begun to learn liow 10 attract tourists, or how to earn tlioir appreciation bv ensuring that tliev will enjoy themselves—viewing our incomparable scenery under conditions that, are at any rate tolerable. instead of lseing antiquated and too often insanitary. Sir .Tames Barrett says the facilities for getting into and through Now Zealand are inadequate if a large number of people are to be handled, and this is a phase of tin- question the Tourist Department should lube up and discuss with Expansion Leagues and other interested bodies with a view to arranging a dclinite and comprehensive nuliey along lhe lines cf the Canadian Pacific Ka.ilwftsr .even if neeesarily a long way ! il■ T. “Southland Dailv Nows.”

'i’li f.- cost. of alive "hothouse” industries, requiring; continuous foreinn; liv artificial means, may be wholly disproportionate to the benefit which their existence confers on the community. On the other hand, tliero are .industries in behalf of which claim may be legitimately made for consideration .at the hands of the State. Between the essential and the non-essential iudslrics it is necessary to discriminate in order Unit justice may ho done to (ho public.—“ Otapo Daily Times.”

The uncertainly attending the marketing of wheat more than anything else has hindered the country in its efforts to become more self-contained in the matter of essential food supplies. If the Minister of Customs will show, in no uncertain fashion, that he is determined to do not the minimum, but the maximum, in order to ensure a, satisfactory market for the primary producers, then he will bo putting into operation the very policy which in the pnej he has commended, namely, one which will eliminate the

"ambling element from the question of the food supplies of the people.— “Lyttelton Times.”