The Bay of Plenty Times SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1949. Sound Programme For The Future

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 15118, 29 October 1949, Page 2

The Bay of Plenty Times SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1949. Sound Programme For The Future

A political programme which comes right clown to the iiulivicinal in every walk of life and which does not put the interests of one particular section of the people —no matter how large 3 —-before those of the remainder, was announced by the leader of the National 1 ain in the course of his address in Christchurch. In the world as we know it today far too much emphasis is being placed on “the ►State,’’ to the detriment' of the people who go lo make up the State. This tends towards steadily increasing interference 1 nii’n the rights of the ordinary man and woman and a gradual loss oi liberty, ending inevitably in the police state. It is reassuring to sec* that the aim throughout the programme announced by Mr Holland is all in the direction of allowing people to manage their own atlairs with as little interference from the government as possible. Air Holland has expressed determination to deal effectively with the basic causes of the high living costs which are crippling so many people throughout New Zealand today. Thousands of instances could be recounted of pen)pic* who, having planned their lives and nucleitaken commitments in tin* belief that their earnings would always be worth something like their face value, now find themselves m’\ol\ed in a bitter struggle to make ends meet. Commitments requiring £lO a week cannot be met on £5 Kis Bd—which is all such an income is worth today compared with what it was worth ten years ago. -bread-winners-—particularly those on fixed incomes—who have been compelled to do. this must either sacrifice their family’s comfort and health or resign themselves to a life of bitter frustration, sacrificing bodi present happiness and future security. _ As a framework for future legislation the statement gives all sections of the community something to look forward to without raising their hopes by specious and ill-considered promises, Partieu l ar ly is this noticeable in tin* section dealing with taxation. All that is promised is a complete overhaul ol the* present system and i eductions wherever possible without penalising unduly any particular section of the community. So far as the Bay of Plenty is concerned, the statement contains some interesting proposals. Under the beading ot primary production and marketing, citrus growers arc* told that they may, if they wish, have the Internal Marketing Division merged into and replaced by producer co-operative organisations. lo check the* drill ol the Maori race towards the larger centres', it is proposed to establish, suitable industries in centres of .Maori population. The encouragement of additional fertiliser works, the completion of the PaeroaPokeno railway and investigations into tin* best means of eommnni cation (road or rail) between Matawai and Taneatna arc* questions oi direct concern to the Bay of Plenty. Without wasting a word on useless recriminations e ver the past. Mr Holland has pm. before the people a well-considered programme full of solid, sensible proposals which are calculated to meet the most pressing needs of the Dominion today.