PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1927, Page 3

PRESS COMMENTS.

The taxpayer who growls about tbe tariff .should pause to think tlie matter out for himself. Every pound kept in this country assists to make it stronger. Many times we have beard that one of the explanations of America’s prosperity is her position as a creditor nation, which means that her exports exceed her imports, reckoning the gold entering the country as exports in actual effect ; but while New Zealand does not receive large shipments of gold in satisfaction of war debts, she can. come closer and close.!' to being a creditor nation by reducing her purchases abroad, though patronising her own industries while she is maintaining her exports.—“ Southland Times.’’

Now that it has been given a start, town planning in any ease will continue to make headway. Some examples of the benefits it offers are already to be seen in the 'Dominion, and all the larger and more enterprising local bodies will soon bes reaching out, for their full share of these benefits, if they are not doing it already. Local bodies less advantageously situated—bodies which have at present no means of bringing specialised knowledge, to hear upon their town-planning problems—also need to be considered, however, and tbe only obvious way of giving them the assistance they need is to make it available, through a Government bureau. at a fair price. “Wairarnpa Age.”

I here is only one way to readjust the trade balance. NVe must export more, ami to increase our exporting surplus we must promote land settlement on conditions that will make farming popular. I'or years tbe industry has been under a cloud of depression, and the cloud cannot be expected to lilt until a general scheme of revaluation is undertaken by the Government, and ibo.se wlio have been, neglecting their farms for lack of development money are given adequate advances at a reasonable rate of interest. Ii Is too much to hope that tbe Reformers will do this. I heir record from beginning to end offers not one scrap of encouragement. and the farmers must decide on a change.—Wanganui “Herald.”

Money is dearer than ever, though the prices of produce from which interest must eventually ho paid have •alien. Tbe Arbitration Court is still raising wages, in spite of tbe numbers of unemployed, altliough a fall in Mages would make it possible lo employ more men. These are amongst tilt' di(bellities lliat cause laud to fall out ol cultivation and no amount of st ienlific study will suffice to overcome them, although such study under normal circumstances may bo of tbe very greatest value. It may bo good to give more time to the daily task than to politics. Iml there are times when politics demand attention, ami at tbe present time, there are two or three change's which must bo made before farming can flourish.-—“Waikato Times.” As soon tis tbe figures in connection wilh the census became public it was clear that as a result of the drift of population northwards tbe Sunlit Island’s I’arliamentnry represent at ion would be reduced by one. We believe iho time has come when there should be no further reduction ol members ol the South Island—that the very excellent Canadian precedent should be billowed. and that tbe North should receive additional members if its iucicased population warrants it. but nut at tbe expense ol tbe South, where the electorates are becoming so ttiiu ieldy as to place tin lit beyond the reach of a great many men who would make very excellent representatives. “Tiniaru I’ost.’’

I he tremendous fi.-xsv.-, that have 1 -c-en entailed on the butter industry as a result, of price- fixation are liken !<> remain in the memory of producers for many years to come. Those who have lie.au defeated still talk about a boycott by the middleman, hut New Zealand had lost the goodwill of the whole of the Old Country, including the consumers. and the price-fixing experiment was hot only resented .hut it was very badly bungled. The hoard will now proceed on the lines of the Australian control, and the New Zealand MeatBoard, and there i.s no doubt that the fatal prejudices that followed n rigid system of control will disappear as soon as the hoard proceeds to business on reasonable lines—Christchurch “Star, ’

If it were ever necessary to advocate immigration, a.s the Bishop of Loudon advocates it, as a means of holding the Empire together, and as the sole means of holding it together, the Empire would already he so near collapse as to he beyond rescue. Nor is it beside the point to remark that, where disloyalty is openly preached or secretly instilled, it is preached and instilled much more often by men and women horn outside Australia aild New Zealand, that is, by immigrants of one sort or another, than, by nativeborn citizens. Happily, such preaching and instillation has little il any effect, except what is magnified by the eyes of “many thoughtful Australians.” —Christchurch “Sun.”

Everyone admits the gravity of our unemployed problem this winter; everyone would rejoice to see it ended, and to know that every New Zealander able and willing to work was sure of steady employment at full rates of pay. M’hnt everyone does not realise, and what, therefore, it is this mission of Dominion industry to teach, is that there is no need for this unemployment and that it would not exist if each of us clothed, housed, and otherwise supplied himself by buying New Zealandmade goods. To quote a tolling sentence: “New Zealand s]lends enough money oil necessaries and luxuries to provide regular and profitable employment for every available worker.”~ Chistchurcli “Sun.”

If we do not realise in New Zealand, and many of us do not, that- our safety as well a.s our proper! tv depends on Britain’s ability to go oil buying from us. it is necessary that- we should be shocked a little, and frightened a little. The Empire will not grow stronger merely by growing older, hut will flourish or decline in proportion to our loyalty and foresight. M’e have to remember also in the Dominions that the Homeland is, and the rest of the world is not, benevolently disposed towards us. The rest- of the world b interested in us for "hat we can give ic. the Homeland for what we are. and if we do not- on our part also think past the limits of temporary advantage we shall realise when it i.s too late how weak and defenceless we are.—Christchurch “Press.”

The feeling is growing that the Arbitration Act is no longer necessary for the maintenance of fair conditions in industry, and has begun to warp the economic growth of the Dominion. Yet it is also felt that the principle of conciliation and public investigation is too valuable to he dispensed with. This principle could he preserved if the Arbitration Act were abolished, and the Labour Disputes Investigation Act extended to cover all industrial disputes. And |t is ip that direction that- Par-

liament must- look for the reform which a larger number of people every year think is required.—The Christchurch “Cress. ’’

It is no use asking a council or a Government to raise loans to provide work. Wo are already paying approximately £18,009.000 per annum m interest on loans, and it is really far more that tbe Dominion etui afford to be paying. We shall have to go slow on borrowing. The real solution rests with tbe people as a whole. By living well within our income we < all provide a sufficient credit balance to provide for development work in tbe qiet period and tbe cost of living should be sufficiently below tbe wages level to enable every worker to provide: for “wot days.” Tn tbe meantime we line faced bard times before and have survived, and we shall again survive tbe present depression. Greater effort and a genial smile will go a, Iciig way towards carrying us through to better times.—Stratford “Evening Rost.”

New Zealand is able to carry on mass production of a few products, such as butter and cheese, mutton and lamb, and wool, and with these can compete with other countries in the world’s markets. Her manutacturors might, if they chose to specialise, standardise, and concentrate as American manufacturers do. compete in tbe world’s markets with such goods as blankets of pure wool and pure underclothing, because they could then have mass production with the advantage of getting their raw material at their doors. But instead of striving for mass' production. New Zealand manufacturers dissipate their energies over a wide range of goods lor which then can only find a small domestic market, and that only with the help of a protective duty. ''Taranaki Daily News.”

There is quite a big field of outdoor activity open to tbe women oi tbe race, many games in which they can take part without any danger to themselves or to those qualities associated with the best type of womanhood, and it is a matter for congratulation that in this country at least any tendency to go outside of these sports is eonlined to a very small minority of the female section of the population. Tins is due. of course, to the good sense ol tbe omen themselves in recognising that, while their entry into games is desirable there are sports which are too strenuous, too rough lor them. It is exercise and sport out-of-doors that is desirable, not the development of a rjiee of female athleiir champions, paying for notoriety with ill brought on by undue physical strain.—“ Southland Times.”