Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1931. THE COUNTRY'S NEEDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 134, 19 March 1931, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1931. THE COUNTRY'S NEEDS.

None of the critics and commentators have advanced any scheme 1 that promises to be as effective in dealing with the economic position of the Dominion than that put forward by the Government, and those whose sole desire is to assist in bringing about a more prosperous state of affairs will accord the Prime Minister unqualified approval and unstinted support. As “The Guardian” stated the other day, the root causes of the conditions under which New Zealand is now labouring are to be found far beyond the borders of the Dominion, and in the absence of any superhuman power to remove those primary causes and their effects the only palliative lies in a determined effort to adjust internal conditions to the circumstances of the times. Parliament is faced with the task of providing adequate machinery to enable the Government to ease the burden of the cost of administration on the country, to adjust expenditure to income, to balance the national accounts and to safeguard the credit of the Dominion. The burden and the sacrifices thus entailed should be distributed as fairly as possible over all sections of the community, which, collectively and individually, must cooperate in the task. Thus it follows while dealing with the public finance Parliament must also take into consideration the means whereby the industrial and commercial prosperity of the country may be restored. Some sections have already been forced by stern necessity to accept their changed fortunes, while up to the present others have been sheltered from the consequences. This is the reason why it is necessary to introduce legislation enabling the Arbitration Court to vary existing awards, so that the lower level of wages that must precede any reduction in the cost of living may be applied to all workers. From the summary of the provisions of the Bill published yesterday it will bd" seen that the rights of the workers have been adequately safeguarded. So far as the criticism of the “cut” in the Civil Service salaries is concerned, the application of a sliding scale has gained a measure of support, but the Prime Minister has shown, in a manner that should convince all who are not obsessed with their own preconceived ideas, that such a system is mot feasible. Mr Forbes, several Times and again on Tuesday night, has proved that no other system would yield the necessary amount, unless by imposing an undue burden on some in order that others may escape. Viewed from the standpoint of the necessities of the economic and financial conditions effecting trade and industry the proposals of the Government, while admittedly unpalatable, provide the only apparent safe course. The country as a whole realises that drastic steps are necessary, and the vociferous element that cannot see beyond its immediate circle does not represent the mind of the people. Mr Forbes has courageously faced an unpleasant task and in this is entitled to whole-hearted support.