The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1907 THE COLONY’S SPLENDID TRADE RETURNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3748, 7 February 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1907 THE COLONY’S SPLENDID TRADE RETURNS.

The colony’s trade and not the state of the colony’s Treasury is the true index of the people’s prosperity. The increase in exports exceed two millions and the whole export is valued at nearly eighteen millions of pounds —very remarkable figures indeed for a colony so sparsely populated, so —comparatively speaking—badly settled, and so far away from the great markets. The increase is gratifying to New Zealand, but it is also highly creditable to the people who work the land against very grave difficulties and disabilities. The people do not lack courage and it is easily shown that a better business system thaA formerly prevailed is respon-

sible for the .splendid name on. produce has in the Old World. In a market like that of London, buyers have the whole world to pick and choose from. Incredibly vast supplies flow into the great city and the exports from a country such as this, in showing an increase of over two million pounds in a year, also show that we need not be of competition in the open market. Prices have been very high, even though the volume of exports has not greatly increased. The price, of course, depends upon the earth’s production, the demand for the article and the ability of the buyers to expend cash freely. Financially, the mercantile British world has smiled during the past year and New' Zealand has most happily' shared the smile. Of course there are still people who believe that London prices are controlled by the speeches of Sir Joseph Ward, and that prosperity comes because we are heavily taxed through the customs. Now if the comparatively' small portion ot land that is under cultivation in New Zealand is able to return such splendid profits to this colony, what sort of a figure would New Zealand in ike in commerce if the waste land of the colony was utilised in the proper way.? The large amount of wool that is sent Home represents the success of a very fe,v colonists. If five hundred people send between them 50,000 bales of wool to London is it not better for the whole colony than that those 50,000 bales should be sent by fifty, men? What a few people can do well, many people can do better- If the Maori lands of the colony are really to be cut up as a result of the investigations of the Native Lands Commission, it will give an immense impetus to trade and perhaps attract population from the towns, where effort is less reproductive than in the country. New Zealand, it is hoped, will never become a laud of immense N cities and immense estates. Small estates and small towns represent the most ideal condition of a people who will possibly depend very largely for a long time on the agricultural and pastoral industries. While the figures showing our prosperous condition do so splendidly, they do not represent the individual wealth. When it can be shown that the contributors to the exports are six times more numerous, even though the bulk does not exceed the present bulk, it can be shown that the country' is more ideally prosperous than it ever has been. In the meantime many things go to show that the New Zealander is a goahead person who means to succeed. The future of the people is in the backblocks and the prosperity of the people will be built upon the soil. That is why it is essential that every means should be taken to increase the number of people tilling the soil.