DEBASED PUBLIC MORALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 144, 20 June 1934, Page 6

DEBASED PUBLIC MORALITY.

The announcement that discrimination in exchange respecting moneys from England is to operate brings to a convenient focal point the low standard of mentality and morality at present prevailing in public affairs. We arc being governed by expedients (sometimes given the formality of Acta of Parliament), which border on, if they do not overstep, the bounds of dishonesty. All the specious arguments in the 'world" cannot obscure the fact that the raising of the exchange artificially altered and destroyed the whole basis of the Ottawa agreement, so far as this country is concerned. The 15 per cent increase was a dishonest tariff dishonestly applied. We have the further case of ' the unemployment tax. Its sponsors contended that it was imposed on a basis of "equal sacrifice." If such an advocate believes that a bachelor on the "basic wage is making the same "sacrifice" as a man with a wife and half a dozen children on the same wage, he discloses himself as a fit subject for the attentions of an alienist. If he makes the statement and does not believe it, he is dishonest. That is plain language to express a plain fact. There seems to be something inimical to the fundamental fair dealing of the English character when it las been subjected to the atmosphere of this country for a generation or two. No section of t-hd community is quite free from the attitude of holding out one hand to the Government for alms whilst at the same time it makes a long nose with the fingers of the other hand at that self-same Government. Our record for lunacy and for dishonesty of all kinds must eclipse that; of any other part of the Empire. We lose our English character so much here that we willingly acquiesce in such an irrational use of the language as the application'of the word "voluntary" to the penal clauses of the-conversion scheme of last year. As further evidence of irresponsibility bordering on dementia, we continue to wonder in face of these facts wliy the hand of fate continues to press so heavily on us. ANGLO-CELT.