BELTS NOT TO BE TIGHTENED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 10

BELTS NOT TO BE TIGHTENED

Mr. Savage And Critic

DISAGREEMENT WITH THAT PHILOSOPHY

“I do not agree with that philosophy and all I can say is that we are not going to tighten our belts,' said the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, when commenting in an interview last evening on a statement by a past president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, Mr. M. G. C. McCaul, on the import control regulations.

Mr. McCaul said : J think the Prime Minister would be wise to take the people completely into his confidence and say to them, “We have had a glorious picnic for three years, we have spent all our money and now we must tighten our belts and pay for the fun we have had.” Mr. Savage said New Zealand was just as productive now as it had been during the past three years, and the Government’s job -was to expand that production and not take in the country’s belt. “This philosophy has been preached since I was a lad,” the Prime Minister continued, “so I understand it pretty well. I do not want, anyone to tell m« what the struggle of the average citizen is like, because I have been through it. I have dedicated the remainder of my days to endeavouring to make it impossible for others to have to put up with what I had to put up with. This philosophy of tightening our belts won’t do me.”