PROPHET OF OPTIMISM

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1930, Page 2

PROPHET OF OPTIMISM

GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S ROLE.

TIMAIIU, November 17

When replying to the remarks of the Mayor (Mr W, Angland) at the conversazione jn the Caroline Bay Hall temight, his Excellency the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe, who referred to the present period of depression,, said that Netv Zealand had more reason for confidence than ally other part of the British Empire, “I regard my chi§f role for the next six months as a prophet of optimism, JP.on’t let us lean too heavily on our Government, no matter what Party is in power. Don’t let us live larger titan our means, nationally or individually; do everything to seek points of contact rather than seek difference,” He was convinced that when there was industrial depression and severe competition those countries which stuck together, to use the well-known phrase, would lead the nations of the world. On the other hand, nations beset by internal factions would go under in the struggle for supremacy. In tf referring to South Canterbury’s agricultural and pastoral interests his Excellency said that there was a peculiarly attractive mixed system of farming. There were certain names of the pioneer families associated with this part of the country which were respected and well known in England. He referred to the Rhodes, the Actons, the Tripps, and the Studholmes; and more recently, perhaps, the Orbells and the Elworthys. These families and many others in the pioneer days had developed this part of the country, had broken up roughish land, sowed it down it good British grass seed, and cropped large areas of arable land, and Inter had imported live stock of the description. At the recent Show in Christchurch he had been struck by the high level of live stock of all descriptions, which represented what the Canterbury farmers could do in this part of the world. Frankly, he had been I appointed with the general average of stock at the recent Royal Show at Hastings. Some were extraordinarily good and some, in his judgment, should not have received awards at any Royal Show in any part of the "'irld. As nu cM agriculturist he thought it unfortunate that animals, particularly males, 1 should be awarded prizes unless they I were first-class animals which deserved tlie distinction. The greatest source | of prosperity lay in the maintenance of the right quality of live stock. Referring to the linn on imported stock from England, Lord Rledisloei said lie could claim that lie knew as much about foot-and-mouth disease as nnv man in the British Empire, as he had had extensive dealings with it. Tf they are afraid to import pedigree stock from England, for goodness sake import them from somewhere else. He would like, he said, to congratulate those in this district of the South Island upon the excellent quality of the cheese they are sending to the Old

Country at the present time. There had been much comment on it at the recent London Show. Dominion products on the British market were not judged as being from Canterbury or Otago, but as New Zealand products, and for that reason it was absolutely essential that uniform quality should be sent from all over New Zealand.

His Excellency paid n tribute to the work of the Prime Minister (the Hon, G, W. Forbes) at the Imperial Conference, No Dominion Prime Minister had won more laurels among the British people and statesmen than the Prime Minister of the Dominion of New Zefu land, It was true that he had not seen eye to eye with certain British statesmen, but with perfect sincerity, great courage, and great public spiritedness, lie had expressed the point of view of New Zealand as a whole, and ns an industrial unit of the great British Commonwealth of Niftions. Unfortunately nothing definite in the industrial consolidation of the British Empire had emerged from the Imperial Conference, but matters of that sort were bound to move slowly. The Old Country was in a far more serious state of depression than New Zealand. It had depended on foreign countries for its trade; for example, the Argentine, where there was 75 per cent, of British capital in the industries, and the United States. It, was perfectly impossible within a few days to substitute trade with the Dominions. The time was coming, however, when there would be a great industrial confederation of the British Empire, and he was sure that all the representatives of the British Dominions would do their best to bring it about. (Applause).