Evening star., 1930-11-30
IRELAND ON FIRMER
GROUND THAN EVER
Has Passed Through Period Of De.
preston Without Serious Results.
Finances in Good Shape.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
at . cost Of $4,000, 600 and the demand
for electricity has increased so rapidly
that an extension of the scheme will
arise for consideration much earlier
than was originally anticipated.
High Quality Export Demanded.
The agricultural policy of the Irish
Free State has been directed mainly to-
ward insuring that Irish produce ex-
ported will be uniformly OF the highest
quality. To this end regulations have
been enforced regarding the grading
and packing Of eggs and butter and a
similar system of inspection and regu-
lation is now being organized in the
meat trade. Steps have been taken to
improve live stock by the elimination
OF unsuitable strains and their replace
ment by approved breeds. An agricul-
tural credit corporation has been set up
to enable farmers to stock their lands
up to capacity, to construct better
buildings and to purchase up-to-date
agricultural machinery and requisites.
The Soundness of the financial posi-
ton Of the Irish Free State will be evi-
dent from the fact that the national
loan is quoted in the markets at from
to points above the price of ISSUE
and that the total public debt at the
end of the last financial year repre-
Sented approximately one years rev.
enue. Against this debt there are tan
gible assets in the nature of recoverable
advances, ETC., which amount to more
than so per cent of the total. Borrow
ings have been used only for conStruc-
tive work and for the restoration of
war damage. Current expenditure has
al IN NIL ~ of
The foreign investments of the Irish
Free State are estimated at q capital
value of approximately f200 200, 600,
which represents an annual income
from abroad Of more than 10000, 900
sterling.
Trade Shows Great Advance.
During the last year the trade of the
Irish Free State has shown q consid-
erable advance. Visible imports were
ESQ 600, 900 in 1929, as against ES8, ,000,-
600 in 1928: visible exports were valued
at E46 900 900, as against E44 300, 600.
It Is not possible to segregate these f1g-
ures with reference to countries Of
origin or final destination, as the offi-
cial returns are compiled on the basis
of countries of assignment, but while
the main bulk of trade is with Great
Britain and Northern Ireland, there Is
striking evidence Of an increase of ex-
ports to the United States, Germany,
France Italy and other European coun-
tries. The year has been one of wide
spread economic depresSion-in Great
Britain conditions have been abnor-
mally difficult, and We have reason to
be thankful that in spite of the conse-
qient decrease In the purchasing power
Of our customers, we have been able to
maintain and, indeed, improve our
position.
The international status Of the Irish
Free State was established by the treaty
of 1921. It then became q member Of
the British Commonwealth, was defined
by the same status as Canada and the
other self-governing dominions. The
relationship between the various mem
ber states of the British Commonwealth
was defined by the imperial conference
of 1925. They are autonomous commu-
mites within the British Empire, equal
in status, In no way subordinate one to
another in any aspect of their domestic
or external affairs, though united by q
common allegiance to the crown and
freely associated as members Of the
commonwealth.
In the earlier part Of this article I