THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 73, 28 March 1933, Page 6

THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT.

Auckland has seen so little of the Prime Minister that his visit is quite an event. Hβ comes to this city soon after a particularly important and trying session, in which decisions of great moment were taken. The Government, as we have said, was not always right, but it did act with a vigour that hitherto it had not shown. Auckland's first attitude towards Mr. Forbes, apart from the cordial welcome he has every right to expect, should be one of sympathy. Like" every other place in New Zealand, Auckland teems with citizens who are rich in advice and criticism, but not one of them, one ventures to think, would gladly change places with Mr. Forbes at this juncture. He and his colleagues have an extremely difficult and disagreeable task to carry through, and they deserve the community's prayers rather than its congratulations. It is to be hoped that Auckland will realise the difficulties with which the Government is beset, and not overwhelm the Prime Minister with complaints and requests. On the other hand, Mr. Forbes has been tied close to his desk in Wellington, and perhaps knows less of public opinion than is desirable. Such a tour as this will bring him into closer contact with popular feeling, and will give him fresh opportunities of supplying certain information; The community may reasonably ask to be enlightened on various points. For example, has the Prime Minister anything more definite to say about tariff revision and the long overdue inquiry into local government? Does the Government mean to carry out the recommendation of the National Expenditure Commission and ■ set up an independent Board for the control of public Avorks, and, if not, why not? Can the Prime Minister give us any more definite assurance on the general question of economy? Some hard things have been said about the Government's failure in this direction, and Ministers have, not been given full credit for what they have already achieved. It would be idle to pretend, however, that the community is entirely satisfied that everything possible has been done, and a frank statement by the Prime Minister on this subject would be appreciated." It i.s all the more necessary that he should outline clearly the intentions of the Government in respect to the whole field of national expenditure—municipal and State —because he himself will shortly be departing for the World Economic Conference. Mr. Forbes should put his own house in the best possible order before he leaves to assist in the regeneration of a world in difficulties,