MR. MASSEY'S OPTIMISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 4, 6 January 1922, Page 4

MR. MASSEY'S OPTIMISM.

At the Waiuku railway function yesterday, Mr. Massey made some remarks on the Dominion's financial position and prospects to which no one can take any serious exception. All that the Premier said about the need for retrenchment and economy, and the heavy responsibility thrown upon the Government of bringing the country's ■ expenditure within the limits of ' its revenue—all these things are obviously, indeed painfully, true. Nor can we wonder that Mr. iMassey, addressing an audience composed chiefly of "primary producers," should lay stress upon the necessity for securing for them a fair return for their output, and should incidentally say something in defence of his much-criticised "meat pool." But while we agree with Mr. Massey that, in spite of all the difficulties that the country and the -Government are now facing, the resources and the marvellous productive power of New Zealand will be equal to the burdens imposed upon them, we wish that he would be a little more definite about the methods that he proposes to employ to achieve the very desirable ends that he has in view. The Premier promises us within a few days "a full statement of what has been done and will be done in the future in the direction of economy." The country will certainly greet this pledge with satisfaction. But apparently Mr. Massey does not yet realise how anxiously the people of New Zealand —supporters as well as critics or opponent*—are awaiting some clear pronouncement of practical policy, some definite legislative and admiiristrative lead from him in the direction of that security and prosperity to which he continually points the way. "This is no time for pessimism," said the Premier yesterday; and we agree with him there. But vague generalisations of this kind, though cheering, are not eminently useful unless they are backed by persistent and rational action. What the Dominion wants just now to give it new spirit and courage is vigorous constructive statesmanship in place of the indecisive non-committal opportunism which it has put up with for so long; and unfortunately Mr. Masaey'a remarks yesterday, so far as these grave questions are concerned, left the country 1 precisely where it stood the day before.