SO FAR SO GOOD

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1931, Page 8

SO FAR SO GOOD

No exception can be taken to the terms in which the Prime Minister referred last night to the problems awaiting solution in New Zealand. He rightly laid emphasis upon two points: that New Zealand has no reason for pessimism, but, by comparison with other countries, may rather congratulate herself, and that difficulties are to be overcome by united action. We cannot expect the Prime Minister to say more than this till he has had the opportunity of studying the leading issues in detail. No reasonable person would demand that he should produce a remedy for economic ills, all packed and labelled from London for New, Zealand—for evidently. London has no surplus of such, remedies. But when Mr. Forbes has had time to investigate matters fully, we may hope that he will apply in practice the principles which he stated so,clearly last night. As he correctly stated, this is a time for co-operative action; —a time to show that we' are a people and' not a collection of individuals. But cooperation,; to-be successful, must be acqompanied by consultation, and encouraged by joint responsibility and joint direction of the measures decided on. Mr. Forbes himself gave the cue for the next act when he stated how well New Zealand credit stood in London and acknowledged that this reputation had been earned by sound financial administration over a term. of years. Mr. Forbes would not, we thinl^, limit that term to the two years of United Government. His acknowledgment was a tribute to United's predecessors in office. As financial stability is not the work of one party alone, so economic restoration may _ best be achieved by the close association of the parties which have established and maintained sound principles of finance. ,