The Empire's Greatest Problem.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 235, 15 December 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Empire's Greatest Problem.

The population of France has not in-creased-indeed, under the stress of war, it has diminished, and there has in consequence among thfe people no increased demand for food products jfnom without. She has become too poor to afford any luxuries under present conditions. The bounty of natu within her remaining 'boundaries tos for the time suspended any real need for imports other than for War purAs to her Army, it is being abundantly fed by supplies requisitioned by the joint War controlofthe Allies independently of any fiscal conBut, « ««!■ ),• to herself as well as to her Allies this convention with a neutra work so far as it has any operation, ifc may "oe enough to state that comparing the present duties as appl-d to the staple producs of New Zealand and the Argentine—irozen meat and wool they are from 40 to 60 per cent, in favour of the Argentine..

WHAT HAS NEW ZEALAND DONE? Now, what course has New Zealand already taken to co-operate actively m the great enterprise indicated by the Itesolutions of the Conference? Imports direct from enemy have, of course, ceased, hut as a fore taste of what may be. expected, imports from neutral countries are coming; Ji somewhat too freely. . Th f, aet '°^ r ( J bv our Government in the supervising imports tnes is expressed in a recent Order in Council Ad. P'* I "'J!£ tion of goods manufactured or produced in enemy territory except with the consent of the Minister for Customs IV is declared thta goods shall be deemed to he manufactured or pro duced in enemy territory if not less than one-fourth of the fair market value has its source in This seems a somewhat embarmsing provision and one to *sult fd much confusion and uncertainty. lt would surely have been WerjoHje forbidden the importation, of aflggj from any country' Empire and the countries oj< AU»», unless the importer was able to prove satisfactorily that no part or combmation of parts whatever had origin in any enemy country.

GREAT BRITAIN OUR LARGESi CUSTOMER.

Recognising that our staple productions will continue to be wool and reflated meats, and dairy Foducethe products, in other words of the land,—we have to consider that Great Britain, our largest custo , on a country more and more dependent on outside supplies to carry on and extend she has excelled although hard-pressed the manufacturing industries in which in several direction by Geimany. Eg land outside her industrial areas will almost necessarily become more and more a pastoral caluntry- Not only S corn from Canada be in the first rink of supplies but the corn Russia and Rumania will come pouring in with an ever increasing stream alon<r the carrying ways of the Danube and L Dardanelles. It in mind, also, that Australia has largely inrceosed her output of wheat. Last year Australia, under the encouragement of a minimum pnoe by the Government, produced two-and-ti- half times as much wheat as was ever produced before, and a fleet °f freigh - Irs had to hi) bought by the State to ship the grain to the Home markets_ Dealing with that prime necessary of life, it mav be. expected not withstanding increased pastoral thta some preference will be given by Great Britain to the supplies from Australia nad Canada in return fot some concession in import duties on manufactures from these colonies. But New ealand cannot lie large, if at all, concerned in the discussion as to the treatment of corn. Our products with similar products from Australia should be given a preference by the Mother Country as against all neutrals, such, for instance, ns the Argentine, British goods being, of course, admitted on more than " the-most-favoured-nation terms.

OUR COURSE CLEAR. If I am right in this rough review of the economic position, our course Vier ; 3> in New Zealand seems to l>e clear : It is to extend facilities for the interchange of trade with tlit Mother Coun. tt v and such of our Allies as may beprepared to deal reciprocally with us. I would here seek to rafer mainly to our futui'3 dealings with trance. Although France produces nothing vital to our future development, slie has to offer manv products which in the davs , V prosperity may l>e termed if not • ! necessaries" vet articles that have be- ,. P necessary in a luxurious sen*, !,nd assuredly France presents a splendid market for our staple products. An enlaced market for these products Sans, of course, a hotter price than L more restricted market would yield „S"U « will no doubt circumstances continue in Great BritWo may hope that the present prohibitive duties on the importation /into France of our frozen meats, if nothing che, will he largely reduced U will he out of the question to look for the entire removal of such duties, I-lit reciprocal terms may surely he ard Similar conditions may ho contemplate with our other Allies on ♦ lip Continent although not much that « 1 be important may he anticipated foMm, time from them, but at least, Home approach might bo made.

JAPAN. An AH / which presents the possibility of dignity is Japan In that diration tliore will bo considerations affo. tin"" Australia and Now Zealand, m tjpw of the extended spheres of government in tho Pacific tint will ue-

BY GEORGE HUTCHINSON.

No. HI. (Specially (written for this Supplement.) Coucl usion.)

voivo up'jii them. Australia no doubt administer all New Guinea except the Dutch third of that island, and also al lthe islands extending towards the possessions of Japan in the East. New Zealand, with perhaps greater directness. will encounter the influence of Japan in Samoa, which, like many other islands in the South Seas, has considerable attractions for Japanese emigrants. Not much should be ventured in the way of anticipation in this direction. It will probably ba as well to allow events to develop through the medium of the Mother Country, although it is a significant fact as affect ing ourselves that Japan with her increasing prosperity is becoming more a meet-eating community.

WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES. Taking a wider range, it must be evident that to merit the wonderful opportunities that are opening up, ou" 'employers and workers should be more dilligent, more united, more closely associated in the successful outcome of their combined efforts. These are subjects calling for caraful and earnest consideration but they cannot be adequately dealt with here, fn some respects we should not scorn to profit by our enemy, where the example may bo considered as a warning or an incentive. If there is one lesson more than another taught by the War it is not only the danger but the Serious penalty of unproparedness. The great ad-vantage--an almost overwhelming advantage —which rested with our adversaries at the outset was due mainly ■£o ,yoars of preparation. No such s'ackness as was nearly our undoing should occur again. From the teachings of the past we should not neglect to profit b ythe methods of our enemy. Where these would enable us to better meet that enemy in the fields of trade we should not scorn to profit by them. In no direction is Germany more to be commended than in respect of technical education. We have latterly been giving increased attention to this very necessary preparation, but much more remains to be done before we can be said to be level with Germany in that respect.

CHEMICAL RESEARCH. No doubt the lead in specialised manufactures will remain with Great Britain as the greatest industrial centre, but chemical and oth'er advanced research should not be neglected even here, although we will remain chiefly a pastoral country. Some of the brightest intellects in Science during recent years have been nurtured in the {jolonies, and we should hope to achieve still farther honours for our students by reason of the endowment of Science in our Colleges. Apart from mechanical inventions, and looking more particularly in increased productiveness of the land, greater attention should be given by chemical resaerch. We may expect to effect improvement ir. the texture of our wool by giving more miatvred efforts in the maiiufao tune of our butter and cheese—in the better treatment of flax —in the yield of our orchards, besides the many subsidiary activities that will commend (themselves in the course of trade development —we may look for the increased volume and value of our exports. Looking ahead, the expansion of industrialism in Great Britain will 'bo practically unbounded, and that must benefit us and all other kindred comunities. Successful as she has been ,in some leading lines in the past, the discipline of the War will have brought out latent energies that will enable us all also to extend in new directions Even those great factories which have sprung up within the last two years for the manufacture of munitions will be capable of speedy alteration and adjustment to enable new industries to ;lie established so as to make us and our Allies independent of Germany in the future. The increased activity amiong the women of our race has proved how capable they are—how indispensable in business their assistance has become. And this may well continue to a large extent without displacing the men who .will Im> demobilised when they have triumphantly vindicated their 'manhood. Thev will lie moi'e aleit —more self-reliant- —more successful than any race ha.s ever been, and the expansion of trade their efforts will go to secure will fully engage their energies.

r IHE WORK OK RECONSTRUCTION The wulk of reconstruction in the countries of our Allies on the continent of Europe will lie immense and take years to accomplish. British capital will he largely amployed in that work, and that means fiesii outlets for superabundant energy. Then there are the great new open spaces of the world tor "the heroic work" of colonisation. Indemnities in cash from our conquered enemies ire hardly to be expected, for they are all virtually bankrupt, and. although their future may be mortgaged. it is scarcely possible to exact penalties in cash without tending to defeat tint object by paralysing production. Nothing in the past as to War indemnities can be a precedent for the present. If Germany can he made to pay the indemnity which il! the Allies are pledged to exact for Belgium, that in cash will probably lie the most that can l>e expected. But compensation by the replacement ol ships lost in the War, and so affecting our tra'.le supremacy, will, it is to no hoped, be made a term of Peace.

THE CHIEF DANGER. Our chief clanger to our future mav he said to lie in our inclination to he merciful to a fallen foe—'.a, good quality which would he misapplied in ihe case of Germany. Nevertheless, we may expect that influences will ho exerted. even within our own ranks to

weaken our terms, unless the majority stand firm to tlioir determination to niaka Gemiany a fearful example for all time. Besides apologists among ourselves we may expect suppliants from the Fatlieriand. They will come among us offering olive branches—but Hhat may ! be to mask their inner designs . They will lament the suicidal folly which led them into War. The.y will be very humble, some of them. They will urge Peace and Goodwill, and with hands up" will cry Kamaradb Kamarade." To one and all sucj there should I>e only one reply: REMEMBER BELGIUM!" . "Belgium"—in that one word is summed up a record of German perfidy and infamy which was national in its and made up of individual crime 'Jiom the highest to the lowest to an extent for which no professions of re ,gret can atone, at least during the fires of thosa now loving. It may be that in years to come there will emerge a new regenerated Germany, fit to be admitted to a, place of friendship ; but ■Wa cannot —we dare <not —anticipate. For the present our course is clear : No truce to Germany in \Var or Peace.