AUSTRALIA TO-DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 131, 7 June 1927, Page 5

AUSTRALIA TO-DAY

PROSPEROUS COUNTRY

LITTLE AFFECTED BY POLITICS

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "Tlie Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. A criticism of the Labour Governments in Australia was made yesterday by Sir 'Joseph Carruthers, a member of the New South "Wales Legislative Council, and ex-Premier of .Now South Wales, who was a passenger from Sydney by the Mauuganui. Ho said that Australia was enjoying great prosperity, and was a living example of how little politics could make or break a country. "I am not a prophet or the sou of a prophet, but it is my opinion that Mr. Lang will go after the next elections," stated Sir Joseph. "Many people got tired of him the day aft » he came into power, and the indications are that he will not last." J-. adde- that tho vitality of Australia lay in its vast natural resources, and in the fine race that had sprung up from the country's hardy pioneers. No amount of political- muddling could prevent its progress or prosperity. Sir Joseph Carruthers is' greatly interested in the growing of wheat, having himself experimented in the culture of the cereal. Ho considers New Zealand is making a mistake in not going in for wheat growing on a more extensive scale. During the season the conditions in the Dominion were similar to those of Canada, and Canada grew the world's best wheat. Ho also mentioned that intensive wheat ' cropping provided more labour on the land. Questioned concerning the recent statement that Australia seemed to be spending money too fast, Sir Joseph said this was probably the case. On tlie other hand, there was a school of thought which believed that provided money was being spent in developing Australia it could not be spent too fast. If they wanted a greater population it was necessary to develop. On the whole, the different States were- spending their loan moneys wisely; they were getting about 90 per cent, value for it, and that could not be considered bad.

.Speaking of spending in connection with the individual people themselves. Sir Joseph declared that the craze for the motor-ear was perhaps being carried too far. On the other hand, if the people who could well afford it were spending money, then it was acting to the good of the who'e country. "I think our legislation is being designed too much along molly-coddling lines," declared Sir Joseph. "We have old age pensions, which relieve the well-to-do sons of poor parents from fulfilling their obligations in lending a helping hand to aged people; we have widows' pensions, which tend to increase the number of poor widows; and then there is talk of child endowment, which will relieve the responsibilities of parents and throw them on the poor c State.'' While all this legislation had its good points, they had to put on the debit side the sapping and undermining of the self-reliance and character of tho community. Sir Joseph Carruthers did not disapprove of this charitable and humanitarian legislation, but he thought they should not shut their eyes to the necessity of rearing a race which could depend upon themselves and not lean upon the State.

Speaking of Australia and immigration, Sir Joseph said ho had to admit that land settlement in connection with immigrants had not been a success. There was a fair current of immigrants from England, and the conditions of life they had been used to in the Old Country did not fit them for. pioneerihgwork. "The best people for latin settlement arc our own people,"-he added. "They arc best fitted for pioneering work, and the others might follow, after."

Touching on the new Federal Capita). Sir Joseph said Canberra was one of the wonder cities o f the world, and he did not say this with any feeling biased by national pride. It was a fine conception, and had been well carried out. Not more than 5 per cent, of the people of Australia had had an opportunity of visiting the new capital, but those who had were more than delighted. "I had the great privilege of being Premier of- Now South Wales when we made an offer of the Canberra site to the Commonwealth Government," he said. "That was in 190y, and our offer was rejected. Five years later it was accepted, and the people of Australia will never have cause to regret it." Although ho is 70 years old, Sir Joseph Carruthers is still very active, and takes a keen interest in the welfare of the Commonwealth.