The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1913. THE EX-HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 22, 26 June 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1913. THE EX-HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Sir. Wm. frail-Jones has obviously not left his democratic principles 'behind him in London, for speaking at a luncheon tendered to him by the New Zealand Club on Monday he made an eminently i practical speech, showing that the Liberal principles which he so worthily upheld both us a private member of the House and as a" Minister of the Crown I have not been impaired t by his association with the older world in his capacity as High' Commissions]-. He has returned to us a staunch Imperialist and a strong supporter of the : militarist movement, which ho is quite prepared to see adopted in some modified form at Home.' As he very frankly put it, if there were men here who were not prepared to fit themselves to defend their mothers and their wives from a foreign foe, he would gladly contribute his share in'assisting j them to leave the country. We have (no doubt that there are many others in this country who would be prepared to do likewise/for this particular class of undesirable immigrant is really, more undesirable than even tlie average alien or the consumptive, who are at least possessed of some feeling.of loyalty towards their adopted country. But that is really only a side issue, for we do not anticipate any serious trouble in the Dominion from the pin-prickings of those anti-militarists whose utterances are, after all, simply "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Sir William was more interesting when he toned his attention to the prospects of our markets at Home. After his loug sojourn in London he must be accepted as speaking "as one having authority," and it is interesting to learn from a man of bis acumen and experience that France offers an excellent opportunity for an extension of our markets. Presumably he refers to our meat and dairy produce, and mice the conquest of France is achieved it is safe to assume that other Continental countries may be profitably exploited. The siege of America has already been undertaken, with some prospect of success, if the operations of the Meat Trust, can be broken down, and the American Parliament can be induced to revise the tariff law sufficiently generously to permit of our placing outproduce on'their markets. Canada, too, is disposed to grant us a measure of preferential treatment, and there lias never been a time when our market prospects were brighter. This is satisfactory, because our financing naturally depends upon our productiveness, and the two interests are inseparably interwoven. Put if we 1 are to take these markets and keep them we must continue to keep the Dominion before the eyes of the world. In this respect Sir William Hall-Jones' experience has not been reassuring. He points out the fact that Australia and Canada are spending thousands of pounds in advertising the resources of their countries at Home, whereas an application'by himself for a few hundreds was consistently turned down by successive Governments. Apparently we talk a good deal about advertising New Zealand and do little practical in that direction. We cannot, of course, be expected to spend as much as Canada or Australia in this direction, for their far-reaching popula-

tions and extensive areas-of land for occupation give them a material advantage over our comparatively restricted attractions. Still, as Sir William HallJones points out, wo might do more proportionately than we arc doing. The sentimental gift of a Dreadnought and the successes of a football team are capital advertisements in their way, 'hut they are hardly suii-hi for bringing under the notice of the general public the cheapness and the excellence of our produce. We may trust the Hon. T. Mackenzie to carry on the good work of Sir W. Hall-Jones as thoroughly as the means put at his disposal will permit. In the meantime we hope that Sir W. [rail-Jones' health has so far recovered that he will be able to resume an active place in our politics. We can well do :t few more men of his sturdy character in Parliament. i