The Waipukurau Press. Friday, June 1, 1906. NEW ZEALAND’S REMARKABLE PROSPERITY.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 1 June 1906, Page 2

The Waipukurau Press. Friday, June 1, 1906. NEW ZEALAND’S REMARKABLE PROSPERITY.

At the annual conference of the Wellington Provincial Council of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, held at Pahiatua this week, the president (Mr J. G. Wilson) said: “There is one thing that calls for comment, and that is the extraordinary prosperity of the country at the present moment.” It was forty seven years since the price of wool was so high as at present. Two or three times the price had gone up to over a shilling, but the average in the London market for the May sales was over 13d. That was an enormous price, and must very largely affect the prosperity of the country, because when wool was so high the price of wethers and lambs was also increased. There was no doubt, however, that New Zealand had a serious rival in Australia as far as the lamb trade was concerned, though he did not think the Argentine was so much to be feared. Australia was beginning the lambing now,and would get lambs onto the market at a time when there were no others. Still, New Zealand could do very well with less than the present prices of lamb. In dairying also we had had a wonderful season. Although there was a great deal of rain, there was an absence of such cold as was experienced in the previous season, and the dairying season had been very successful. The grading results had been higher than ever before, and the season was going on longer than usual. Last year the factories were shut down six weeks before the present date. They were this year churning every day for a month longer than last year. The prices also were very remunerative. This affected a very large number of people The export of wool alone this year would be worth six millions, and the dairy produce would yield considerably upward of two million pounds. That was an enormous revenue, irrespective of tho by-products- There was over eight millions of money coming into New Zealand this year, the exports having risen by a million a year for the last three years. Last year nobody in his senses would have expected higher prices for wool. Obviously, they would have to prepare for lower prices, and the president advised them strongly to make hay while the sun shone by putting up good houses and getting their properties into good order. They might get land for their sons, but the difficulty was to get hold of suitable lands. Whether present prices were too high he did not know. In the neighbourhood of towns the prosperity had greatly increased the price of land, and he did not know how they were going to get out the position.