PULLING THROUGH

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19112, 22 September 1927, Page 10

PULLING THROUGH

CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND.

VIEWS OF EX-SECRETARY OF STATE. [THE PRESS Special Service,] "WELLINGTON". September 21. "I see nothing whatever in the condition of the Old Country to make one in the slightest degree despondent. England is undoubtedly pulling through and there are indications of a revival, slow, it is true, but nevertheless certain. We have had a hard tune shouldering other people's debts. However, we have survived it all and I have not the slightest doubt that the burdens we have imposed on the present generation are financially sound and politically wise." These views were expressed by the Et. Hon. Edward Shortt, K.C., British Secretarv of State for Home Affairs from 1919 to 1922, who is at present visiting Wellington. Mr Shortt was a member of the Lloyd George Cabinet for five years. From 1910. to 1922 he was M.P. for West Newcastle. main purpose of his visit to New Zealand is to inspect the Arapuni works on behalf of Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth and Company. He is not actively engaged in politics at present and although not a member of the great engineering firm he has wide busiuess interests in the United Kingdom. Speaking of conditions in England to-day, Mr Shortt said that the coal, iron, steel, and shipbuilding indiis-; tries were the best barometers and he was pleased to say they were recovering. Unemployment was still a serious and. . difficult problem and had been ever since the war. It was possible, perhaps, that more money had been spent on the unemployed than was justified, but at the same time, speaking as one among others, who was responsible for the steps taken, he would adopt tins same attitude again in similar circumstances. Reports concerning the effect of the dole upon the British working man were so exaggerated as to be almost false. Of course, he pointed out, there liad been instances of black sheep taking an unfair advantage of the dole system, but the average British working man to-day was just as sound and reliable as lie had ever been. What lie wanted was regular work and not a dole.

A well-considered., comprehensive scheme of emigration might achieve much to relieve the Old Country and assist the Dominions. "I am not suggesting though," added Mr Shortt, "that we should deport our scallywags to New Zealand, but if we can get the right class of man who can't get work at Home, to come out here it will be greatly to the benefit of both countries."

Asked for his views on the tariff revision, Mr Shortt smilingly declined to express an opinion. It was _ satisfactory to note that iuter-Empire trade was increasing, '"One must remember," lie said, ''that while that is due largely to'preference given to each other, it is also due largely to the good quality of the stuff we both produce." Referring to polities in England, Mr Shortt, a staunch Liberal himself, expressed the opinion that Liberalism woulA -come into power again. He thought that at the next election the Conservatives would be returned to power with a greatly diminished majority and that at the following election the Liberals, would have an excellent chance of ■ being returned to power. There was little to fear from Labour for many years. Its ranks were too divided. This is the first visit of Mr Shortt to New Zealand. He has heard much about the Dominion and is keenly looking forward to seeing as much of it as time permits: The length of his stay in New Zealand will depend on the progress of his investigations at Arapuni.