ECHOES of the WEEK

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 288, 31 August 1929, Page 19

ECHOES of the WEEK

PRESS OPINIONS ON :: NEW ZEALAND TOPICS

The ordinary member of Parliament is hot engaged on national or his constituents’ business for more than a part of his time. For months in the year he may consider himself as free to concentrate on making money at his calling as most men are; and even when Parliament is sitting he must be either an exceptionally busy or a very lazy member who cannot find time to keep his personal business going. Those who care to make their membership a whole-time job are, of course, free to do so; but it is, to say the least of it, doubtful whether a review of the present House or any of its predecessors would disclose that the ablest and most useful members are or have been those most nearly qualified to be called professional politicians. We suspect that such a review would be far more likely to show that the ablest and best members have also been the most distinguished in their other capacities, and have found little difficulty—and perhaps some incentive—in combining political with other service. The case of Cabinet members is different. A portfolio once taken up demands a Minister’s full attention and all the energy and industry he can call on. It generally demands a little more. There is therefore a very strong case for making Ministerial salaries big enough to compensate for necessarily heavy sacrifices, both immediate and, often, prospective. But there is no such case for paying the ordinary member not only for his services but for sacrifices which in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred need not and do not exist—Christchurch “Press.”

It is the duty of the Government, more directly of the Minister of Finance, to say how much revenue must be raised to meet the needs of the current year, but it is the right of the House of. Representatives to question the means offered for raising the money, and even more specifically to question whether they will not yield more than the proved needs demand. In giving a lead to this form of criticism Mr. Coates is acting properly in’ his capacity as Leader of the Opposition. He is not called upon to consider how far his actions may embarrass people who are not in his confidence. The means that may be adopted to parry his thrust are not necessarily his concern. The country is entitled to know who supports and who opposes the taxation policy of the Financial Statement. This amendment gives the opportunity to distinguish them.—“NeW Zealand Herald.”

Sir Joseph Ward describes the Bank of ’New Zealand at the present time as a semi-State bank. It is as nearly a State bank as possible without its being actually controlled by the State. The Government appoints the majority of the directors and appoints an auditor who reports to it concerning all the operations of the bank. The whole of the Government business is entrusted to the bank, which admittedly executes it exceedingly well. With Sir Joseph Ward’s argument that the wise course to pursue is not to interfere at all with the bank there will be general agreement on the part of all who appreciate the sensitiveness of money and the danger of the introduction of politics into the management of a financial institution. If the Bank of New Zealand is ever to become a State bank pure and simple it can only be by the acquisition by the State of the interests of the private shareholders at their full market value. Sir Joseph Ward is himself not prepared to say that that value is not more than the country would be justified in paying. When a Labour Government comes into power in New Zealand in the distant future we may hear something about the establishment of a State bank, but if so, and if the party’s aim is to be achieved through the conversion of the Bank of New Zealand into that institution, the operation can only be effected, as the Prime Minister holds, by the Government buying out the private shareholders. —“Otago Daily Times.”

It is a toss-up which is the most curious feature of the ’ suggestion of Mr. J. O’Brien, M.P., that the State should start a newspaper for the adequate reporting of members —his ideas of newspaper finance or his conception of the public as hungry sheep that look up for political sustenance, and are not fed. On the whole, newspapers give politics their due prominence, but journalists differ from members of Parliament in this, that if their papers are to succeed, the world, and not a part of it, must be their province. The public—including a great number of supporters of the Labour Party—is interested in numbers of other things beside politics, and will read the papers that are most interesting, irrespective of source. It is perfectly certain that a State newspaper would not be widely read. Is the demand for “Hansard” so strong and persistent as to encourage any hope to the contrary.—Auckland “Star.”

There seems no reason why the demand for, and appreciation of, this country’s products in Britain should not increase. Further, it is known with certainty that our output can be increased. Indeed, the increased production generally observed in Central Otago is symtomatie of what may be accomplished throughout the whole- of New Zealand. This country must not be depressed by unemployment. Periods of change always experience it. No other country ever equalled the present pros; f !y of the United States; yet there is plenty of unemployment there. It is not likely that New Zealand will solve this world problem, though it may contribute its quota to the solution of it. But while attention is given, and rightly, to unemployment, there must be unremitting attention given by legislators, educators, and publicists, as well as by all practical men, to the advancement of what NewZealand lives on—the primary industtries.—“Otago Daily Times.”

Stripped of all quibbling, Sir Joseph Ward’s grievance appears to be that a matter was left to his decision which Mr. Stewart might have used to embarrass the new Government, and thus have enabled it to escape the responsibility confronting It when its unexpected elevation to office compelled it to inaugurate the “extensive borrowing” policy. Knowing that it was impossible to borrow £70,000,000 in London On the terms he had proposed; finding that the way had been kept open for him to ask London for all the millions he wanted, Sir Joseph Ward strove to conceal his failure in a cloud of mystery, and, in the end, tried to blame Mr. Stewart for the folly and fallacies of his own extravagant undertakings. Perhaps the worst feature of the whole proceedings is that when challenged to produce documentary proof the Government took refuge behind a Treasury memorandum claiming inviolable secrecy for its correspondence. It is now manifest that the Government refused’ to produce proof because there is nothing to substantiate its ridiculous allegations. —“N.Z. Herald.” We are surely not expected to believe that the Government had had as strong indications of the approval of farmers as it has had of their disapproval, and has said nothing about them. Some of the Government’s supporters have certainly made lame and foolish remarks about big but unnamed landowners who have congratulated the Government on the wisdom and justice of its policy. It has been announced also by one of Sir Joseph Ward’s Cabinet colleagues, who occasionally make strange announcements that the Budget proposals have taken a load off the minds of those farmers who have known that they were not doing their duty, ■ and now at last feel honest men again. But except for a few absurdities of that kind there has been no indication by any substantial or responsibls group of. farmers anywhere in the Dominion that the taxation proposals have been approved. The Prime Minister is indulging in empty bravado when he pretends that he has as much opinion on his side as his critics have on theirs, and bravado is nearly a month out of date.—“ The Press,” Christchurch.

Steps to organise research on an Empire basis must create added links, strengthen the bonds, and demonstrate a unity of purpose that distance cannot weaken. There are several bodies working effectively in this way, such as the Imperial Shipping Committee, the Empire Marketing Board, the Imperial Economic Committee, and, of course, the Imperial Conference itself. Each, in its own way, must make some contribution towards closer co-opera-tion, mutual assistance and better understanding. Probably, in time, the system will develop to provide that the services of those best qualified to deal with some agricultural or allied problem will be at once made available, and the establishment of bureaux will enable data to be collected and filed for the benefit of any section of agriculturists. The idea of the selfgoverning dominions combining with the Crown colonies presents possibilities of great things. It is a truly fine conception of mutual assistance, and New Zealand should be able to make a worthy contribution not only in scientific research but also in men trained to grapple with some problems of production for the benefit of all.—Christchurch “Times.”

The Leader of the Labour Party has kept the Government in office, not because he thinks it is a good Government, but because he thinks it is a weak Government; and in thinking so he is perfectly right. If it does not appear now to what extent and in what respect the Government is to defer to Mr. Holland’s wishes, in return for his propping it up on its slippery seat, it soon will; and if ever Mr. Holland so leads bis troop in a division that the Government falls,-it will be because he will have satisfied himself that the Government has nothing further to offer. On the present occasion Mr. Holland has made no difficulty of supporting Sir Joseph Ward against a motion condemning what he has himself in the frankest language condemned, namely, the increased primage duty; but that, while it possibly indicates the direction in which this manage de convenance may first affect the Government’s conduct, the point is of minor, ironic interest in ' comparison with the major facts established beyond all question by the division. Whatever f >'e Government does in future it does under Labour’s nod; and the only real question—a very disturbing question—is how much it will do at Labour’s instigation. — Christchurch “Press.”

The time has come when the Prime Minister has had to admit that he promised more than he can accomplish. He has been able to secure funds in the Dominion, and he contemplates the raising of additional funds, for the purpose of making advances to settlers and workers, but, of course, not on the terms that were indicated by him. He expressed the belief recently that the applicants for advances were more pleased to receive funds at the price which it is necessary to charge for them than they would have been if he had insisted upon their waiting until a lower price was possible. It is highly likely that they are gratified to have their applications entertained at all, and it is certain that they would have had to wait for an indefinitely long period before they could secure loans on the terms they had been led to expect The Government is clearly entitled to credit for the steps it has taken to infuse activity into the operations of the State Advances Office, and if there are any farmers who are disappointed because they nre unable to secure advances on the terms that were promised by members of the United Party during the election contest they must be reminded that it was never supposed for a moment by shrewd business people that any party that made such promises could possibly redeem •’jem.—“Otago Daily Times.”