WORK STILL TO BE DONE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2526, 6 January 1923, Page 4

WORK STILL TO BE DONE.

THE PREMIER’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE. The text of the Premier's New Year message to the people of New Zealand is as follows: — At the beginning of the new year upon which the Dominion is now entering, I think, as citizens of New Zealand, we have good reason to congratulate ourselves on the improved outlook, financially and commercially, as compared with the beginning of 1922. We were then passing through the worst of a worldwide depression, consequent upon a Great War, in which we had taken no unimportant part. The war left us with a greatly increased annual- expenditure, and when the prices of our more important staple products fell very seriously in sympathy with the prices of similar commodities, in the great markets of the world, the result was such as to make the most careless among us wonder for a time what was to he the outcome and whether, as a nation, wc were going to be aide to pay our way and meel our obligations. During 1922 the whole position changed for the better and ii now rests with ourselves to lake advantage of the Opporlunties that have come to us, and so restore the prosperity, which, for what seemed a very long period, was conspicuous by its absence.

I have sufficient confidence in my fellow citizens to believe that this will be done. New years as a whole are possessed of their full share ol energy, industry and enterprise, and l am satisfied they will rise to the occasion. They never hesitated either at home or abroad during the strenuous years of war, from which very serious responsibilities and duties have come to them, and these latter, if they are to he dealt with satisfactorily have to be tackled earnestly and eourngeou.-ly by the community as a whole. There is still much work to be. done and sacrifices to be made by every class and every individual. Success depends on united effort. M ithout unity, without enthusiasm, there can be no success. The clouds are lifting. Opportunity is here. Conditions are already easier. So far as practicable, drop sectional differences and, for the good of the country of which we are citizens, let us each take up our share of the national burden which, if every one does his part, can be carried easily and without hardship or inconvenience.

If the country w:i- worth fighting for, it is worth working for. and il we work for it wholeheartedly, as it behoves us to do, g viug it ot our best, whether of brain or hand, we can make it' what creation intended —one of the best and brightest countries on this planet. Ii is well to remember that, as citizens ol an important Dominion, we have responsibilities to the Empire as well as to our own country, and it is interesting to notice from speeches of British ministers and leading articles in principal British newspapers and magazines that the possibility of greatly increasing tiie commercial and financial relations as between British countries overmens and the United Kingdom, is now being recognised and encouraged. New Zealand lias, in proportion to its population already done a great deal in this direction and we should lose no opportunity of doing more in the wav of strengthening I lie Empire and assisting to make it sell-con-tained and self-supporting.

We <‘an give practical proof of our patriotism by commercial preferences within the Empire, just as well as b.v any other method and it is well to remember that anything which tends " to prosperity in Britain must indirectly benefit New Zealand, because Brtnin is the principal market, for our products. So far as the defence of the Empire is concerned, I hope that returning prosperity will enable us to take up a more satisfactory and more dignified position than we have yet occupied, especially in the matter of naval 'defence. In this respect, the Imperial Government has been both generous and long-suffer-ing, but we cannot possibly expect the British taxpayers to go on providing naval defence tor the Dominions without a proportionate contribution on their part. The authorities of the Admiralty have already indicated that any contribution from New Zealand should be expended in what are generally referred to as New Zealand waters and within the last few years New Zealanders have given further unmistakable proof of their loyalty to King and Country and Empire and I trust that whatever may happen in the future, the Imperial principles, to which New Zealanders have adhered during the last ten years, will never he departed from, and that no encouragement will ever be given, so far as this country is concerned, to those who would disintegrate or even .weaken the freest and most liberty-loving and peace-promoting .Empire this world lias ever known, and of which we ere proud to be citizens. May 1923 therefore be a year fraught with peace, prosperity and happiness for each and everyone of my fellow citizens. —TV. F. MASSEY, Prime Minister. ,