ELECTION BLINKERS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 43, 19 August 1930, Page 8

ELECTION BLINKERS

Rather an unusual attack upon the. Budget was made by Mr. Poison last night. "This Budget is intended for next year—election year (he said). I am convinced that the Government will come through with a big surplus." Mr. Forbes must have been astounded when he heard this. He j has been told that his Budget is ruinous, unjust, and bad in every way. Now he hears that it is intended to, win him support in the election. Mr. j Poison meant, of course, that the Government, by taking ample revenue from the public pocket this year, would have a big surplus in hand in 1931, and would then be able either to spend freely or to remit taxation. And grateful electors would forget in 1931 that the money lavished upon I them was taken out of their pockets in 1930. With all due respect to Mr. Poison, we cannot picture Mr. Forbes as this type of Machiavellian Treasurer. Nor can we think that such a scheme would be well advised, i Electors have short memories, but do Ithey always forget in election year what happened the year before? Politicians can certainly bribe them with j their own money. Every promising party has been doing that for ages past; but the accumulation of a surplus in one year in order to spend freely in the next is too transparent a device. Even the poor purblind elector should be able to see through that.