MR AMERY’S MESSAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1927, Page 4

MR AMERY’S MESSAGE

ON INTER-IMPERIAL TRADE. WELLINGTON, Nov. 29. Mr L. S. Aniery attended a reception to-day given by the Navy League and Victoria League. He spoke of the importance of the Navy, and the necessity for having a force to keep all routes open at all Hones. Although the Navy had been reduced- in actual numbers of men and ships, it was never more efficient than to-day in every essential direction.

A reception to Mr Aniery by the Commercial. Travellers' and Marehousemen's Association was held today. the chief guest being described as tho chief commercial traveller for John Bull and Company. “We value the status we have,” said Mr Coates, '‘and we take lull opportunity of expressing our views, hut if Britain in her judgment deems it advisable to take a .line of action, then Mr Aniery can convey this message to the people at 1 Homo—New Zealand wil' he found standing beside the Motherland. My remarks, ’he went on to say, “refer to the higher side of our national lile and to the thoughts that run through tho minds of every citizen in our country to allow and to foster trade within the Empire.”

Mr Aniery spoke of the urgent nocessitv for the development of interEmpire trade, and each country s icsoiines. He expressed his conviction that tliev were only at the beginning of the development of the British Empire. Ho thought the l mtod States could show us a good example of what could he done vlit.li the lesources of a. great ami varied territory. There they had more railways than the rest of the. world put together, a greater use of mechanical power, whether electric or steam-driv-en than the rest of the world : a greater production and consumption of steel and iron, and many other essential commodities upon which inod--1,1, industry was based, than the rest of the world put together. And they had done it on a territory about a quarter the size of the British Empire. The peonle who had done it were mainly of our own stock, and the capital had largely been drawn I'rinii Great Britain. There was nothing tho United States had done that the Empire could not do if only we ceased thinking in a. watertight compartment and realised the advantage of pooling our resources. There was no reason why we should not exceed anything the United States had' done t.o date. The resources and the ability were there, lie appealed to commercial travellers to do their best tor Empire trade in New Zealand, not only on the grounds ol sentiment hut also of business. The prosperity of New Zealand, he said, was dependent upon the prosperity of Great Britain. After iiis address .Mr Aniery was presented with the honorary membership badge of till. Association.