KILLING THE PATIENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 268, 23 August 1945, Page 3

KILLING THE PATIENT.

A QUESTION OF MEDICINE. Many people have developed the idea in recent years that there is some sort of “charm” about the State, and that when the State takes hold of a problem or an enterprise magical results wlil follow. It is true that, there are certain restricted functions which the State can best control in the interests of the whole community; but beyond that limited field there is every reason why the State should refrain from control, interference and ownership. Experience has proved that with trading and business Enterprises, the State idea of management g’ives rise to delays, inefficiency, discrimination, bureaucracy and financial loss. Where there „is no incentive to profit there is no incentive to promptitude, efficiency, or enterprise. On the other hand, free enterprise —in order to exist and to flourishmust be progressive, adaptive to change, responsive to public need, alert and efficient. Free enterprise is the mainspring of progress and prosperity. Free enterprise is the foundation of New Zealand’s economic Wealth. In the future, New Zealand needs full expression of the people’s initiative, energy, and enterprise. To “let the State take it over” is a policy of negation and slackness. State control in New Zealand has become a bad habit, and the decision of the Government to take over the Bank of New' Zealand and the Internal Airways is further evidence of that tendency. The country needs a change from that sort of medicine; it is killing the patient. —49 x.