SOCIAL CREDIT IN ALBERTA

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21734, 17 March 1936, Page 6

SOCIAL CREDIT IN ALBERTA

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKES ADVANCES DIFFICULTIES DISCUSSED BY CANADIAN crasss association tilioham.) AUCKLAND. March 16. Although he was not prepared to criticise social credit. Mr D. H. Ross, formerly Canadian Government Trade Commissioner In Melbourne, who was a through passenger by the Niagara for Sydney, was of the opinion that, before considering the adoption bf this method of monetary reform, Governments should await the success of the scheme in Alberta. Canadian politicians regarded social credit in Alberta as an experiment, and were following it with: considerable interest, said Mr Ross. . Over the last few months, however, the Federal Government had found it necessary to make, considerable advances to the Government of Alberta. Still further advances were required to carry out the various schemes entailed in social credit, including the promise made by the Government that every adult in tne state would receive at least £5 a week on which to live, .In the Federal Government there were a few members who were keen supporters of social credit; but they were not sufficient in numbers to have any influence in Parliament, Trade conditions in Canada were definitely improving said Mr Ross. The winter, however, had been unusually severe, and this had resulted in an increase in unemployment; Exports had increased considerably, and under the present Government there was a tendency toward a reduction in tariffs. Mr 'Ross did not consider that tlto reciprocal trade agreement between Canada and the United States, introduced recently, would affect New Zealand or Australian exports to Canada. Mr Ross, \vho was Canadian .Trade Commissioner in Melbourne for 31 years, retired two years ago, and since then, has travelled extensively. He has recently .spent eight months ,in Canada, and the United, States.