Report of Society's Meetings. 183 



indeed, some very appreciable return being garnered by 

 those who have freely and courageously sown the seed 

 of their capital on the land. 



And now one word as to our wants. Perhaps at a 

 first glance they might be summarised, as to agriculture, 

 in the words, generous production and remunerative 

 prices, and as to commerce by paraphrasing the old say- 

 ing, into * large profits and constant returns,' 



But we want more than that. We want solidarity of 

 purpose, a joining together of hands ; and I would 

 dwell for a moment on that want. We do not know the 

 future, we cannot see beyond the moment. We do not 

 know what demand may be made on our resources, or 

 how soon. And therefore I would urge the absolute 

 necessity for that agreement and unity, which alone can 

 successfully secure the application of our best to general 

 interests. 



Small party divisions, the saying of " no" for individual 

 reasons, when " yes" is the word for the common good ; 

 the intrusion of petty personal considerations, of sky sign- 

 ing by invidious and ungenerous insinuations, when every 

 man's hand should be joined with that of his neighbour 

 against the wrong and for the right ; these are greater 

 dangers to us now than any burden from foreign bounties, 

 heavy though that be to bear, or any temporary shrinkage 

 in the value of our exports, be they sugar or gold, food- 

 stuffs or forest-produ6ls. 



We want peace within well-defined and properly 

 secured limits, and that, I believe, it is meant that we shall 

 obtain. We want an absolute and lasting freedom from 

 internal disagreement. Think of that grand old English 

 word " common wealth," and my belief, is that no- 



