COUNTRY'S NEED

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 11

COUNTRY'S NEED

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

FREE FROM PARTY STRIFE

Tho need for a strong national Government was stressed by Mr. AY. Appleton, a member of tho national executive of tho Now Zealand Legion, iv an address at Otaki last evening. AVhat was needed, ho said, was a-national Government freed from tho intrigues and petty spirit of party strife.

Mr. Appleton said that Britain had given New Zealand an excellent lead, and South Africa had recently followed suit. "'What this country needs today arc men, not parties, men who have tho vision and courage to do the right thing for tho good of the country," said Mr. Appleton. ''Iv the ranks of Labour wo have men whose brains and ability should be' used for tho common good. Why should' these men waste their time and energy in destructive ■ criticism at a serious stag© Jiko this?"

The Coalition Government, Haid Mr., Appleton, had been brought into being at the instigation, to a, great extent, of the business interests of the Dominion, and yet, because tho authorities, by reason of the drop iv national income, were forced into taking action to1 bridge the gap between State income and expenditure, they were vilified right and left. Business men, from one end of tho Dominion to the . other, had preached economy and the necessity •for-Government retrenchment, but immediately tho Government decided to put in ' tho axe there was a howj from some section or other not to interfere in expenditure which affected them or their interests. Salary cuts had been advocated, vbut when purchasing power had been decreased anil sales returns had turn.bled, the very same people were iusistent in asking that wage reductions be restored.

Business men held up their hands in holy horror at the thought of a deficit in the Budget, but tho imposition of tho sales tax and an increase in the income tax were most unpopular measures. Everyone agreed that something should be done for the unemployed, and that ,the provision of work at decent rates of pay for those unfortunates who had;lost their jobs was the responsibility of the Government, but a moderate- tax: to enable tho powers that be to give merely a pittance to tho unemployed was regarded as .i crime by many thoughtless people, who did not care a straw about the suffering and misery of their fellow-mortals so long as their own personal: wcll^beiiig and comfort were not interfered with.