DOMINION’S PROSPERITY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2748, 21 June 1924, Page 3

DOMINION’S PROSPERITY

♦ PROGRESS OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER AT PALMERSTON N.

The progress which has been made by the Dominion in the industrial sphere was traversed in a comprehensive review by the Prime Alinister (Rt. Hon. AV. F. Massey) when when speaking at the smoke social of. the Manawatu A. and P. Association at Palmerston N. on Wednecdav.

Although the Dominion had passed through five strenuous years of war and had sent 100,000 of its man hood away, very satisfactory progress had been made during the past few years. “I intend to refer to the season which is just coming to an end,” said Air Massey, “and the exports for that period are something to be proud of. I stated some time ago that if our exports reached £50,000,000 the country would have no difficulty-in paving its way, hut we have gone beyond that figure, and by .Tune 30 will have exceeded it by a. large amount.”

, In quoting figures in support the Premier said the exports had totalled £51,652,606, while the imports had reached £44,401,756 and the total trade £96,034,362. Taking the trade per head, the speaker said that there was no country in the world which could show a hotter record. The Premier proceeded to compare the figures of export for the various industries for 1912 with those of last year, and said that the value of frozen meat had increased from £3,909.564 to £9,012,630, while since the last census the population had increased by from 300,000 to 400.000 and it was his personal estimate that when next census was taken one and a-lialf millions of people would he recorded. Although the wool business had not increased to the same extent as that of other industries, the 1912 figure, £7.105.483, had been increased to £10.904,658. When the slump arrived, however, many of the farmers were compelled to send a great part of their flocks to the. freezing works, with the result that three million out of twenty-six millions had disappeared, but a pleasing return to the former status was noticeable. 800.000 of mi increase having been recorded last year, and !l r 'o this vifar.

“AW.have to do better tlmn that.” e sitimied Air Massey, “and we must not be satisfied till we regain (he pre-way number for even- additional sheep means something on to our wealth.”

Tn referring to dairy produce,. Mr Alnsspy said the' number of cows in (he Dominion had increased from ( 33.733 in 1011 to 1.248.643 in 1923. .•ml II was pleasing to record that the slump had been successfully surmounted. In 1912 £2.088,809 worth of hut ter had been sent away

Mid the figure'had grown to £10,689200 last year. Cheese had increased from £1.680,393 to £6.870,397 up to December 31. “We hear a lot aRonf the prosperity of the dairy farmer.” In- said, “but there is no man in tin* country who earns every penny he gets better than flic dairyman. for lie works strenuously through mud and slush and frequently in the dark; and T hope things will lie made better for him.” Another industry which was growing rapidly was honey, which showed an advance in exports since 1912 of from £1053 to £25.585. Wide due consideration was being given to the primary industries, the progress made by the secondary industries could not bo gainsaid, and it was a matter for gratification ll,at both industries were co-opera-ting in bringing tlieiv products' before the public in order to educate it to the vast resources of tbe Dominion. During the past 12 months good progress had been made in the eonsfmetiin of' railways, 268 miles ha\ng been handed over to the Ralway Department, while the money expended on roads and bridges in 1922 totalled £383.000, this figure compnrin.r with £749.000 in 1923. The lines "which had been commenced would have to be completed, while (lie roads throughout the whole Dominion would have to be made worthy of the country through which {| cv ran. The advent of the motor lorry, with its 5 and 6 ton loads, had shown them that the roads were not good and the whole problem of laving first-class roads would have to lie faced.

“The most interesting operation | rum conceive,” concluded Mr Mn.-.-ev. “is tlie building of a young country such as we are building in Hie Piieifu—this country of which wo are laving the foundation, and which will he one of the most important in the British Empire.”