The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1914. EARL GREY S WARNING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 61, 13 March 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1914. EARL GREY S WARNING.

During the short time.he has been in New Zealand -Earl Grey lias sairl many interesting things. Of course in the first place his high Imperialism has stood out, but he has also made wise comment on matters he has observed. When in Wellington a clay or so ago he referred passingly to the Sanger of turning a large proportion of the people into dependents on the State, and in his words there is much to think about. Like many others Vrho have visited us, Earl Grey appears |jfco have been struck with the exceedingly large proportion of State employees in New Zealand, and conseSquently has given thought to the position. In fact, though he has much regard for our country, he feels "a .Jjositive shiver of apprehension" when he reflects that one-eighth of the people are directly dependent upon the State. "I do not believe," he said, "that it is possible for any •nation which encourages its people to lie dowii on the State to win either greatness or prosperity. . . Wherever you find people lying down on the State you will find an all-pervading influence which is seriously detrimental to national character—a poison I which saps energy, impairs efficiency, and impoverishes, pauperises, and degrades the character of the people." There is no mistaking this statement, and very probably there are those who will disagree; plainly Earl Grey implies that there is always the risk and possibility that the people who depend upon the State may, when they have become sufficiently numerous, exert [their electoral power to demand such jibenoiits and concessions that the burden will become utterly unreasonable to the rest of the people. Altogether there is too much of that growing tendency to apply to the State for help in almost every matter of life, and Earl Grey was undoubtedly right 'when he asserted that there can be only one source from which the greatest prosperity of the State can be permanently derived: viz., the high averago output of the individual worker and such wealth as may be developed by the primary producer.