DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

DOMINION TOPICS

No Immigration Policy. “To bring people into New Zealand without any proper plan for their occupation would be stupid and repeating the insanities of the past,” says the Prime Minister. "We are just as anxious as any Empire Settlement League can be to bring people into the Dominion.” This would be more impressive if tihe Prime Minister had not said it so many times before. There is no indication at al’ that the Government Is making any effort to prepare for a resumption of controlled imnii gration into New Zealand. On the contrary, there is good reason to suppose flint it finds the whole subject embarrassing Itecause of the attitude of the trade unions, nnd is well content to go on admitting the need for immigration and putting off to the Greek kalends the formulation <if a practical immigration policy. The truth is that at no time in the present century have conditions been more favourable to a -resumntlon of the effort to increase New Zealand's ponulation by drawing on other countries.—" The Press,” Christchurch.

The Prime Minister and the Doctors. Respecting Dr. McMillan’s general exposition of the health service scheme, it may be suggested that if he was able to tell the House the principles upon which It is to be operated, the less reason is apparent why the Government should have withheld the information respecting its programme that has been sought by the New Zealand Branch of tbe British Medical Association. representing the great majority of -the doctors who are expected to cooperate with the Government in bringing the scheme into practice. It was idle on the part of Hie Prime Minister to sny that the Bill has not vet come before Cabinet. That is quite understandable in view of the revisions of portions of tho scheme that hnvp been nnnonncfM hr h<m from dny to day. Rut the Government must have decided upon the broad principles of its programme, and there can bo no good reason why the Medical Association has boon neither apprised of them nor consulted concerning them.— "Otago Daily Times.”

Who Controls Broadcasting? The director of broadcasting may nominally he the controller of the material nnd the speakers also. but it is quite plain from.the letter the director of brondcas’ing addressed to the protesting Farmers’ Union that he has no authority other than that vested in him by tbe political head of the Department. and no one who hns taken the trouble or pains to listen to the official news bulletin issued nightly bv the Prime Minister’s Dennr’mcnt wi'l have any douhts as to the “material" the Government, as real controllers of the national broadcasting service regards ns news: indeed some explanation lias yet to be made bv the con’roilers of the nntionnl broadcast service for the sudden interruption nf the broadcast of the Minister of Marketing at the National Dairy Conference just at the moment when a somewhat critical conference of dairymen began to address the most per’lnent onestions tn the Minister! Was the director of broadcasting responsible for thus keeping the critical dairymen off the air?— “Timaru Herald.”

The Government and Criticism. To certain sections of the Government all criticism is carping in detail and political in motive. If defence measures are criticised, if Mr. Jordan’s attitude at Geneva is questioned, if comment is made on the growing rate of railway accidents, if questions are asked about the Tasman air service or the new Pacific liners, and if doubt is cast upon the efficiency of the unionised firefighting system, the Government’s reply is prompt and final—"political propaganda.” Whether Mr. Savage is wise in seeing the ogre of propaganda in every criticism of his Goverment remains to be seen. What is obvious is that a grave disservice may be done to the Dom’nion through the parrot-cry of “politics” being raised whenever views ar_ expressed that are contrary to the opinions of the Government. In this continual and shortsighted refusal to answer any case that smacks’ of criticism Government supporters are making a spirit of comprom’se and reasonable discussion impossible to achieve. —“Taranaki Herald.”

The Impending Load. It is not surprising that members who are in a position to take a dispassionate view of the social security proposals of the Government contemplate with disapproval the expenditure of some £17,000.000 or £18,000.000 for the first year on one section of the people. Of course, nearly half of the amount is contributed by a levy of one shilling in the £ on wages, salaries, and “Income from other sources,” but the remainder is to come out of the Consolidated Fund, and represents taxation, so that double and treble taxaton are l>eing levied to establish a system taht is certainly not urgently required in a country otherwise so well served with other means of superannuation a« is New Zealand. It has been contended that a univedsal scheme would be approved, but it is certain that the benefits have been limited for the reason that the financial burden imposed by the more ambitious proposal made it prohlgitive.—“Southland Daily News."

The Four Colonels. There can have been nothing selfseeking about the action of the four senior officers of the New Zealand Territorial Force who recently issued a manifesto drawing public attention . • the inadequacy of Dominion defence measures. These colonels, who have been disciplined into retirement because of their action, are all men soundly established in private life, and would have nothing personal, except perhaps added enthusiasm for their military hobby, to gain from reconstruction and expansion of the forces It must be apparent to those who have followed the case from its inception that the officers are genuinely alarmed over the gravity of the situation which, through what, in the circumstances, could be regarded as an un usual and drastic form of publicity, they have sought to explain to the public. Further than that, they have been actuated by sympathy, for the officers of the Staff Corps and the New Zealand Permanent Staff, who. It hardly needed the manifesto to assure us, must have been carrying on under the most disheartening conditions. — Dunedin “Evening Star.”

Lack of Drive in Recruiting. In Britaiu, partly because of the broad outlook and the “drive’’ of a new Minister of War. the strength of the anti-aircraft defence (Territorial) force has been increased since January 1, 1937, from 7000 to 43.000. In New Zealand the Territorial Force has had no comparable leadership. Cabinet Ministers find time to travel about the country boasting of their own and [(raising their colleagues’ achievements, but none of them, including the Minister of Defence. has even given tlie impression that he is genuinely concerned about this outstanding problem in defence Their failure is the more lamentable in that this Government couM, if it wished, exercise Influence which would result in the Territorial Force attaining its full desired numerical strength and becoming—as it should be. but is not —a representative erosssection of the finest manhood in the country. The Government hns now had ample time to achieve this objective. but it is still far short of it. Its methods having failed, not only does it refuse to admit failure, lint it punishes those of its critics over whom it has authority.—" Auckland Star.”

A Matter for Experts. Health insurance is largely a matter for experts. Mr. Savage is‘a believer in taking evidence and in acting upon it, for. in connection witih the pensions proposals be asked only last week: ‘What is the use of hearing evidence unless we take notice of it?’’ In this case, however, as In the case of the military officers who were dismissed without any trial at all. the Government refuses to take evidence of those directly concerned, much less to be guided by it. Apparently there has been a similar mlsiinderstading in regard to the friendly societies, because Mr. Savage’s statement that the societies had offered unconditional support in the launching of the scheme met with an immediate denial. The friendly societies, like the doctors, nre.willing to give every assistance in formulating a practical scheme, but cannot he expected blindly to accept any cheme that is brought down. —“Poverty Bay Herald.” Tills ig Election Year.

This Is election year. All the talk will l>e of prosperity, duly compared with conditions in the bleak depression years. Under Labour guidance, we shall be told, there will be no need to fear tbe next slump in overseas prices, for Labour hns a plan and is prepared for all eventualities. There are other matters, of which Government members may be unwilling to talk, tar which are very much in the minds of electors. Compulsory unionism Is one of them; the attack on private enterprise—conducted on a much wider front than Labour speakers wou’d have us believe—is another: nnd tbe fundamental policy of the Labour Party, affirmed and reaffirmed at conferences and on the pla’form. is the most Important of them all. No matter how many good things are promised for the future, it remains necessary to rememlier that the Government is pledged to a policy which aims at the socialisation of the means of? production, distribution and exchangel—"Southland Times.”

The White Plague. The announcement of the personnel of the committee appointed by the Government to investigate the question of tuberculosis in the Dominion makes it evident that the inquiry will Im> comprehensive and practical. The investigation follows a rise in the death-rate from this disease which was noted in the year 1936 and has not since fallen. In the years 1900 to 1930, a steady reduction in the mortality from tuberculosis was recorded. There were periods in which the death rate rose temporarily, but tn the 30 years it fell from 11 per 10,000 of population to five. During the five depression years 1930-35 the mortality rate continued to fall. and. in 1935, it was less ‘han four per 10,000 of population. These statistics refer, of course, to Europeans. Among the Maori tribes the reduction in deaths from tuberculosis has not been nearly so satisfactory. During the past five years the mortalitv rate has been nearly 40 per 10.000 of population, and ther has been little, if any. improvement during the past two decades. Unsatisfactory social conditions and neglect of hygiene have no doubt contributed to thsi unsatisfactory position in regard to the Maori people, and It is satisfactory to note that the inquiry now to Im? made will give special attention to the Maori problems.—“Taranaki Daily News.”

'ns’ilation. The member for Kaiapol came to the assistance of the Finance Minister tn the House on Friday to explain how New Zealand could be insulated against the effects of price slumps, but it is doubtful whether Mr. Nash should be grateful to him for his effort. Mr. Nash, it will be remembered, said that the Labour Party, which in this instance means himself, had a plan, but, probably wisely, he abstained from saying what it was. According to Mr. Morgan Williams it amounts to nothing more than a rationing of imports. It is sheer nonsense to suggest that the Dominion could be protected against the effects of a serious price slump by the simple device of limiting Imports. The country’s exports last year were thirty million pounds in excess of those for 1932. which means that the people had that amount of money more to spend on imported goods than in 1932. The truth, of course, is that the limitation of imports follows automatically on a reduction of the return from exports.—Christchurch “Star-Sun.”

Facial Eczema. Economic stability depends upon the gradual extension of production, and it is not yet known how extensive have been the effects of this outbreak of facial eczema. It will not be until the lamb’ng returns have been compiled, and the woo] offered for sale that the sheepfarmers will be in a position te assess with any accuracy their actual losses Dairyfarmers probably have a much better knowledge of what the outbreak cost >hem. in reduced butterfat supplies and losses of stock. They are taking active steps to fill the gaps in their herds These things can be adjusted to some extent, but at the back of their minds the men on the land must have this spectre of another outbreak. That is the most serious aspect to the majority, and it Is in order that they may have some assurance on that point that the work of investigation will be followed with the keenest interest.—“Waikato Times.”