WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1933, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

WORLD CONFERENCE,

NEW ZEALAND IN LONDON

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 12. The entertainment of tile Right Hon. G. W. Forbes and the Hon. Robert Masters by ’’the N<?w Zealand Society in London Hast week gave the Prime Minister an opportunity to present to his hosts in plain language - e financial position of the Dominion, a task he appears to have discharged witii admirable tact and candour, “lfie Dominion,” he told his hosts, “has now reached a stage where it is difficult to find a means of making either an appreciable increase, in revenue, or further substantial cuts in expenditure. The drastic economies that have been necessary and the infliction of taxation to ' practically the utmost possible limit have been regarded by the mass 'of the- people as inevitable and have’been accepted in the most commendable spirit.” 'This frank statesman waff; Warmly applauded by a gathering , .widely, aequanted with the facts as they-:;stood..d r r The leading London newspapers, for the most part, were 'as . cordial .as the hosts of Mr :: Forbest and Mr Masters were in applauding the of the visitors. “Mr Forbes.; 7 / said-:,4 the ‘ Times,” “described . with' ..admirable force and brevity .the. gallant'.effort j made by New . Zealand, to, adapt .her economic life .to fche,- crisis. . .-In ] explaining the supreme .-importance which .the people of New Zf'alpnd'.,attached to the World Conference Mr Forbes was expressing the unanimous sentiment of all -the--delegations of the British Dotninons. New Zealand lifts made a laudable effort at the cost of substantial, sacrifices on ', The part of her people to 'adjust' herself to .the depression; but that., effort- can only meet with the sdccesk it undoubtedly deserves if attempts to raise the world Price level are ultimately successful.” Here from high quarters i». ft demand for the policy New Zealand is'urging.TJ.) fit orni ug nehiti ail in> jihb. mietippolis', i tlmhgb.. applauding New Zealand’s attachment to the Empire, does not predict ait early improvement for the Dominions generally. “Help must be sought in the raising of prices,” it declares, Zealand can do by herself is likely to ,^l?e' r d e - I pendent' oil ; The outside world and is 1 entitled- to ■ expect' ! from‘'hei“-‘customers ! a just .reward ,foi:. hey, labpyii's., It is | easy to imagine the hopes with which ' Mr Forbes set put to represent New | Zealand at the . Conference and liis j bitterness and disappointment : jf.,.tjie 'Conference proves a bioken reed.” ' This ifj, ,se;ivpely ,a fair indication ,of ; the spirit, in. which Mr Forces-anti, hik | cqieagues have approached, the. World. . Conference. .. [They doubtless are kqp-i ; ing for advice, and, maybe assistance from. .tfiq 'Mother Country,...but..--they-.are not, going,.to,suffer disappointment ■and bitterness., in which ~tiie Mother ....Country- involved-,, „ .py | )Tlie ... •IFiu.awciajLlast!.of;the three...j:.ut)ioyi,tic« '.ed,- by. the ,~j?re&s ifss9da,tiou, ?v docs,;, not ;..commit..jitsqlfi, to; s} uy,- particular, ,4p-: „ta';i.l. of . ,thg; .situation. :“Thp figures' cited , .by Mr Forbes are,;’, it-says,,.:“a; striking testimony to the desire 'of New Zealand, which is still the second largest individual buyer of our manufactures, to .develop ; its trade with Britain to its utmost capacity. What, ■ therefore, is more natural, than - that its Prime Minister .should endeavour to jH’ojnote an interchange of trade between the countries of the . British Empire in the spirit of tjhe .Ottawa Agreement ?” This., authority seems, to be obsessed by the idea that British trade should be reserved for British;; people and - that-the-remainder should be picked up as time and opportunity may permit. , This surely, would bethe very perversion of trade;'harmony. ,