LOOSING PURSE-STRINGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21245, 27 July 1932, Page 12

LOOSING PURSE-STRINGS

PUBLIC WORKS POLICY URGED WELLINGTON EMPLOYERS' VIEW [iJY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Tho opinion that the Government should set an example by letting go its pursestrings and pushing ahead with public works in the meantime was expressed in the annual report of the Wellington Employers' Association presented at the annual meeting to-day. " It is a timo for sane optimism and supreme courage," stated tho report, "and great comfort is to be derived from the manner in which Great Britain is overcoming her multiplicity of difficulties and problems. "It is generally recognised that the circulation of money is of paramount importance in the encouragement of trade and enterprise. If people could only bo persuaded to lot go their purse-strings and circulate their money, tho present outlook would undergo a rapid change, and a bouyancy in the spirit of the community would soon be apparent. " Tho Government should set a lead in this direction by •immediately pushing ahead with .numerous public works which have been shelved in tho meantime. Surely it is wiser to put public works into immediate operation, thereby greatly assisting to encourage confidence and relieve unemployment, than to delay such works until the advent of better times, when tho samo urgency and necessity will not bo apparent. If ever there was a time when tho Government should bo bold and proceed with all necessary public works on a contract basis, which will requiro to bo carried out sooner or later, surely it is the present, when tho urge is so great and construction costs are down to a low level. " In this connection, the example of tho people in tho Hawkc's Bay district is to be highly commended. Tho peoplo there are suffering a doublo calamity. They suffered greatly as a rosult of tho earthquake and they havo also been called' upon to bear their share of tho existing financial stringency. By proceeding as quickly as possible with reconstruction work, they have displayed courage and enterprise, and by the circulating of money they are not only helping themselves, but rendering an invaluable servico to the rest of tho community."