MORE SECRECY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 137, 10 June 1919, Page 4

MORE SECRECY.

The widespread and growing distrust lof the Government will be heightened by its attitude towards the report on the coal industry which the Board of Trade has just presented. The Government is withholding the report from publication, "as a reply has not been received from Mr. \V. F. Massey whether it should be published or not," and we are further informed that "it is understood that the report suggests a policy to be followed by the Government, and this fact makes,the question of publication important." Xeither Mr. Massey's ' absence nor the suggestion of a policy j lis a good reason for withholding the report. A sarcastic American cabled to President Wilson in Paris that if he did not return soon a Republic would be set up in America. Similarly, a Xew Zcalander might cable to Mr. Massey that if he stays away much longer a democracy will be established in Xew Zealand. The Government has a passion for i secrecy. It is 6ome little time since the ' Epidemic Commission completed its report, out for some unknown reason the Government withholds it from the people. There is even more reason why the Coal Report should be published /-promptly; unlike the Epidemic Commission, the Hoard of Trade did not hold an open inquiry. The British Coal Commission bits openly, and all the facts about the coal industry are being dragged into tbe light of day; the British public lias and j will have not only the conclusions of the Commission, but knowledge of the facts ion which they are based. Here the inquiry has been private, and the public ! will have only the recommendations of the Board of Trade and such facts as the Board deems important. Of course, the i situation in England in March, when tbe Commission presented its reports and the I Government promptly published them and acted on them, was much more ; serious than the situation in Xew Zealand to-day, and we admit that i„ is difficult, if not impossible, for the Xew Zealand Government to agree quickly to j what may be a drastic change of policy j towards the coal industry while the two j party leaders are in Europe. But we ido not think there is sufficient justificaiilion for withholding the whole of the ; report. The people of Xew Zealand are ' greatly interested in the coal industry. There is a serious shortage of coal, prices arc high, and there is unrest among the i miners. People want to know the facts I about the industry, which the Board of Trade is supposed to have elicited, and they do not see any good reason why '- the Government should be embarrassed - by the publication of these or of- whatt ever recommendations the Board of |j Trade may have made. It is quite a eom.imon thing lor commissions to make j recommendations of policy to a Govern- ' nient which are ignored.