The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1931. THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECHES.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1931. THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECHES.

CarriCTSM by an individual or a trade journal of the opinions expressed by the representative of the Crown, is sufficiently unusual in this country to merit, attention. On two occasions within a few weeks exception has ijceii taken on behalf of tbe manufacturers of the Dominion to the tenor of speeches delivered by the GovernorGeneral. Speaking before the Associated Chambers of Commerce, and

again at Stratford, his Excellency deprecated the existence of uneconomic secondary industries in New Zealand, and expressed the view that it was foolish to protect such industries by high; tariffs'. It is difficult To Imagine that the secondary industries tn the Dominion do not include sonic that are “uneconomic,” and if these do exist, says the Otago Times, the wisdom of his Excellency’s remarks is hardly questionable. The assumption is that his sensitive critics deny that the country supports any uneconomic industrial concerns which are outtressed by abnormally high tariffs. The nature of his office prohibits his Excellency from entering into political discussion. But it is not demanded by convention, and it is inconceivable that the public should expect, that the Governor-General should be debarred from frankly expressing his views upon industrial matters. The people of New Zealand have learned to read with appreciation and respect the public utterances of Lord Bledisloe because they are always marked by timeousness and thoughtfulness. They have realised that he has come amongst them as a practical man who not only evinces a real interest in the problems of the country but also exhibits a desire to assist in the solution of them. The suggestion that his Excellency is exceeding the liberty that is enjoyed by a representative of the Crown in expressing an opinion, which is certainly shared with him by large numbers of people in tbe Dominion, ~There,, are industries in the country which are not really economic and are sheltered behind a tariff wall of considerable height, is not one to he very seriously entertained. Fear from being a cause for concern, it should be regarded as a matter for the liveliest satisfaction that the Oov-ei'hoi'-Gciietval does .not - confine his public ndresses to the deliverance of weary platitudes, to which he would have to limit himself if it were required of him that he should avoid nil subjects that are in the least degree controversial. It might almost be supposed from tbe objection which lias been raised to these recent utterances of his that his Excellency was considered by manufacturers in the Dominion to he 'unfavourable to the existence of secondary industries in the country. As a plain matter of fact, he has thrown the influence of liis office strongly into support of the claim that the .people of New Zealand phonlcl recognise the importance, in the interests of the community as a whole, of purchasing wherever practicable, goods that are made in New Zealand. His Excellency’s speeche.s are distinctly stimulating as a rule, and the opinions which, he has expressed concerning the undesirability of tbe existence of uneconomic industries are of a class' that should be taken into serious consideration, rather than resented, by the manufacturers of the community.