OPTIMISM JUSTIFIED.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1921, Page 10

OPTIMISM JUSTIFIED.

PREMIER’S RE-ASSURING STATEMENT. “I am not going to discuss the future prospects of dairy produce: but I want to strike an optimistic rather than a pessimistic note,” said Mr. Massey last week. “And I am justified in doing it, as is shown by the fact that, during th'e war, notwithstanding that 100,000 of our best men were away at the front, we exported no,less than 155 to 157 millions worth of produce in five years. This is something to be proud of. It speaks volumes, not only for the country itself, but for the industry of our people; and we are going, I have no doubt, to repeat it. We must take lower prices for the present; but if that is so, then the cost of transport and production must be lowered in proportion. That we must go on producing is certain, because we cannot otherwise meet our enormous liabilities. It am not speaking of Government finance. The arrangements the Government has made will see us through this next financial year, but I am speaking of the Inducers of the country. ‘ I know this next year is not going to be a good year. The best we can expect is that we are going to pay our way. I would like to impress upon producers the necessity at this time for producing and marketing the very best article that can be produced in this country. My impression is- that Britain is our best market. That, I think, has been proved during the past few months. But I don’t say that it should be our only market- We should supply any market that will take our goods at reasonable prices. But the consumers at the other end should be able to rely upon getting the very best article that we can produce. That is necessary, because I think we lost ground during a certain part of the war period, and we should regain the lost ground if at all possible.”