POLICY PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 243, 13 October 1936, Page 5

POLICY PROGRESS.

- MINISTER'S REVIEW. i ' "WE ARE FAIRLY SATISFIED. INTERVIEW BEFORE , DEPARTURE. ) To-day the Hon. Walter Xasl ; Minister of Finance and of Marketin; ; left this country on an important mis ! sion to England. This niorning lie sa ' back at his desk at the Station Hotc 'land in a few minutes snatched from a (endless series of private calls looke j back across the space of a year and i the manner of an accountant sunime up the policy achievements of the Gov eminent. It was a review .given dispas sionately—as of a. man who looks bac! along his path and notes at the sam time the distance still in front. "Some of Mie steps taken by tin Government are permanent steps on th road we wish to travel," he said. "Other are preliminary' only. We have mon to do in the future—much more—lni our progress is conditioned by on human capacity and our power t< organise our resources. Nevertheless judging our legislation as a beginning the Government is fairly satisfied witl the, progress made. AH In the Pattern. . To get the Labour Government's actions in their correct perspective, il I is essential to remember that our ain j is to provide the highest standard ol I living for all our people—and so tr organise our human and materia resources as to achieve this end. II this is kept in mind the changes made in the fields of finance, primary production. industry, social services and civil liberties, all fit into a pattern. The first act of the Labour Government was to provide a Christmas box for those who were unemployed. This pointed the way of hope, and all acts of the Government have been designed to make better times a reality for all those who labour with hand and brain." Mr. Xash then traversed the field of [the Government's legislation to date— The Reserve Bank of Xew Zealand Amendment Bill, which, lie said, had given the Government the machinery to control the currency and credit of llie nation both internally and externally; the Primary Products Marketing Act, with its guaranteed juice; the restoration of powers to the Arbitration Court, and the restoration of the 1931 standard of wages and industrial conditions, together with the introduction of the 40hour week; and the legislation affecting the Mortgage Corporation, the civil servants' freedom of speech, the educational system (with the return of the five-vear-olds, and the reopening of the training colleges), the Health Department. liousipg and rents, and pensions. "We have more to do in the future," he said. "Our progress is conditioned by our human capacity and our power to organise our resources." He appeared to be thinking of his visit overseas, and the result it would have on that progress.