NATIONAL EFFORT

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29818, 10 May 1962, Page 14

NATIONAL EFFORT

Gap Seat By Dr. Finlay (NX. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 9. “Mr Marshall should have read my words more carefully. 1 did not contrast ’steady does it’ with high taxation as an alternative,’ said the president of the Labour Party (Dr. A. M. Finlay) today. Dr. Finlay, who was replying to a comment made earlier by the Acting Prime Minister, went on to say: "I said ‘steady does it’ was the Government's inadequate response to the great challenge now facing our country, and implied it was the very negation of the positive leadership we need. “ Steady does it’ may, or may not, carry us through the present and recurring balance-of-payments crisis. Time will tell. It wiU certainly not equip us to deal with the very much graver marketing problem that now looms. “The fact that Mr Marshall still discusses this merely In terms of taxation and imports clearly demonstrates the limited horizons of the Government.

“In my report to our conference I did state at least one thing that a Labour Government would have done in the present circumstances, and that is to awaken the people and endeavour to ‘evoke and animate the whole resources

of the nation.’ My chiejf complaint with ‘steady does it’ is that it hot only fails to do this, but leads the people to believe it is not necessary.”