PROSPEROUS TIMES

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20273, 16 August 1937, Page 8

PROSPEROUS TIMES

PESSIMISM DEPLORED. MR BAVAQE ANSWERS CRITIC 3. IMPROVEMENT IN EXPORTS. (Special to Times.) AUCKLAND. Monday. f The pessimistic outlook concernin'better times which, he sa:d. charncici- ; ised statements by his opponents, was v condemned by the Prime Minister, the ( Right Hon. M. J. Savage. In an inter- j { view on Saturday. Mr Savage said so | much was being said and written b> j the Government’s adversaries shout | the disadvantages of better times that ( he thought it was appropriate to sa> j something concerning tlie advantages, j "My first impression on my return I ' from the United Kingdom was that conditions in New Zealand were gm>d. , 1 said Mr Savage. "Discussions with ] I my colleagues and a study of statistics j more than confirmed my impression. | and it lias i een deepened every day by j > definite evidence. I have also glanced through the speeches made by National , Party speakers during my absence and j < I find them as pessimistic as they are • i bulky. Satisfactory Exports. "Of course, i do not imagine for a t i moment that everything cannot be i improved,” continued the Prime Minister, "but it can be cla med that ! . things are much better than the op j | ponents of tlie Government would ; i have the people believe, and ineom- J i parably better than even the best con- i | ditions were two years age “Our export season finished las! | , June with most satisfactory result?*, j , Indeed, the value of exports for Hu* ( first six months of this year is 23 per cent, greater than it was for the corresponding period lasi year. That I surely augurs well for the present i season’s prospects, more particularly j since the prices of our products on the overseas markets have continued to show a rising tendency. Room for Increase. "It is impossible not to believe that ( there is much scope for expansion. 1 j am convinced as a result of my obser- j vations abroad that there is room for a general increase in consumption. Half tlie world must be under-fed. If I only everyone could have their fill our farmers would not lack customers “I do not overlook tlie fact that a j great deal of the splendid result from I our exports last season was due to the marked rise in wool values,” Mr Sav- i age continued. "But nobody should overlook ttie other fact that ttie ex- j ports of butter and cheese also j showed increases. Compared with tlie previous year's figures tlie aggro- ! gate value of exported butter was up fully 11 per cent., while Hie value of cheese increased by a fraction over 17 per cent. "I might also mention that New | Zealand was tlie chief supplier to Great Britain of butter, cheese and 1 pork. We exported more butter to tho I United Kingdom than in any previous | year, our gain being to some extent at j the expense of Australia. It should also be pointed out that New Zealand but- I ter this year lias, on occasion, commanded a premium over Danish—tlio first time since 1929. Goodwill Maintained. “These results should be emphasised for the reason that they confute Hie astounding statement which I noticed was made by the National Party Leader, the Hon- Adam Hamilton. (hat | the Labour Government’s policy of J guaranteed prices had broug u the loss of goodwill in the British market, and among the farmers of the United Kingdom, in actual fact w * have got considerably more fur butte*-, .heise, frozen beef, chilled beef, fro .am iamb and greasy wool over the pasl 12 months. “Hostile critics may say that tlie Government lias had nofV'ug whatever to do with the improved prices, hut they have been quick to blame tlie Government when prices have tjc.c ; down. Such an ungenerous attitude 1 condemns itself.”