Our Country’s Future

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 904, 22 February 1930, Page 6

Our Country’s Future

WHAT IS YOUR VISION?

Industry Our Only Hope

WE have within our ocean frontiers everything needed for the building up of a splendid nation; the only thing that is checking our development and emergence is our lack of vision; our foolish satisfaction in living for the day, and taking no thought for the future. Without industrial'evolution, growth is impossible.

Every schoolboy knows that, for its ; size, there is no country in the two hemispheres so bountifully endowed by nature for building up .3, virile, wealthy, healthy and happy British community as our own New Zealand. Our climate is the best in the world for agricultural and pastoral production; our soil is rich and highly productive; our herds and flocks need none of the costly care and shelter of the Old World. Beneath the soil is found almost every metal and other products of economic and industrial value. Our seas, lakes and rivers teem with an abundance of fish; while those same lakes and rivers can be harnessed to provide almost inexhaustible power in its cheapest and most flexible form. In our Pacific territories we can produce any tropical foods, or raw materials we need for our industries, while for a start we have now nearly a million and a-half of the best and purest British stock within our borders. It does not need a very vivid imagination or intense gift of vision for thinking people to see ahead of us a great future; with a joyous and prosperous developing these prodigal gifts of nature to their fullest extent. We only need the will to succeed and achievement is inevitable. Up to now our energies have*been mostly directed to developing our land and agricultural resources. Continued energy and more scientific efforts are still essential in that direction, but the time has now come when the higher branches of wealth production must be fostered and extended. "We can never become a nation, nor make the best use of our natural wealth, until manufacturing industries go hand in hand with farming industries. W e cannot become a great country while we are content to rely for most of our wealth upon growing

grass, milking cows, killing beasts and shearing sheep. Our vision of the future must not be limited by our barbed-wire fences. SUPPLYING OUR OWN NEEDS The wealthiest nations are those whose internal trade has been developed to the greatest extent, and those which consider home production before foreign trade. Our land settlement at the present time is stationary, although improved methods are increasing the farmers’ output. Our only other branch of wealth production from our local industries is worse than at a standstill; it is slipping back. Our population is in the same state, the increase in recent years being negligible. Yet by setting to work in the right spirit to convert our vision into reality, New Zealand could be carrying a population of five millions v/ithin the next decade, with productive and profitable employment for all. But our dreams of the future cannot be realised by the waving of a magic wand. We can only achieve that lasting prosperity bv the sweat of our brow and the use of our brains. That essential labour must be profitably applied to economic and scientific production. There are far too many of our breadwinners in occupations with their coats on, and too many of our skilled workers anxious and willing to take their coats off, but unable to find employment at their crafts. Our local industries are our future source of national wealth, and by supporting them we are supporting ourselves and building for the future. We can have no enduring vision for the future unless we place productive industry in its proper place, and produce for our own needs instead of relying, as though impotent net helpless, on foreigners and outsiders to supply our wants.