AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 751, 26 August 1929, Page 1

AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SYDNEY BUSINESS MAN IS NOT PESSIMISTIC PROSPECTS ARE GOOD Reports of earthquakes have no fear for Mr. Justly Rawlings. His favourite holiday resort is Rotorua, to which he goes every year. This morning Mr. Rawlings arrived on his annual tr |> to New Zealand Unlike many other Australians he did not postpone his tour because there had been some severe ’quakes in the South Island. Mr. Rawlings, who is accompanied by his wife, is general manager of Anthony Hordern and Sons, Ltd., and is in a position to gauge current business affairs in the Commonwealth. “Australia is not in a bad way financially. There is a good deal of pessimism abroad, but it is not real,” he said this morning on the Niagara. “Business is not as good as it might be; the strikes have had a disturbing effect but Australia has good prospects beyond any shadow of doubt.” “Yes, I think we have over-spent to a certain degree, and it is necessary for the Commonwealth to take stock and to put her house In order.

Money has been obtained too easily in the past and this has tended to make us spend too much. This, however, is only a passing phase and those who are in charge are now taking things in hand.” Mr. Rawlings expressed the belief that wages will have to be stabilised to bring about a better state of affairs financially. It is definitely certain that the Arbitration Court will have to go, but something will have to take its place. What this will be no one knows. Wages and disputes cannot he left to chance, he says, but direct action would be better than having to call in a third party, with no knowledge of the situation, to settle affairs.