MONEY CONTROL

Evening Star, Issue 23025, 2 August 1938, Page 9

MONEY CONTROL

BIG CHANGES PREDICTED PEOPLE. NOT VESTED INTERESTS* MUST RULE Big changes in the control of money and finance generally were predicted as inevitable by the Prime Minister <the Right Hon. M. J. Savage), when replying to a civic welcome at Geraldine yesterday (the ‘ Pres? ’ reports). He attacked vested interests, which be declared would not be allowed to stand in the way of the people ruling the country. That people were without the means of well-being in New Zealand, with its productive agencies, was a reflection on their intelligence. He did not know what making available to the people the product of their toil would mean in the finish; but he had a shrewd idea that big changes had to come in the control of money. The time was not far distant, he said, when local bodies would expect to receive more in the way of sympathetic consideration from governtnents_ in providing greater finance. On his trips he had Found that the greatest stumbling block to local bodies was to find money for works required to be done without paying extravagantly high interest. “The day of high interest Is gone, and the time when money should be made the servant of man, not his master, has arrived,” said Mr Savage. “ I know we will get a lot of opposition on the way, because it means so. much to vested interests, not only in New Zealand, but also in other lands.

“ I know that information of what we will do will be communicated abroad. I receive daily communications from people in lands far from New Zealand asking what we are doing and telling how we are being watched by other countries. Sometimes we get very questionable interest in our affairs. Propaganda is carried on not only in the Press of our own country, but also in other countries. I sometimes think it is a pity newspapers in other countries could not give more attention to the affairs of their own lands. They could help by minding their own business and allowing us to mind ours.” (“ Hear bear.”)

Agencies in New Zealand were nob backward in making free criticism of the Government without the least foundation, and that naturally came back to the Dominion. As the opinions of British newspapers were controlled by half a dozen individuals, they spoke not for Great Britain or its people, but for their own vested interests. The people who wore stopping progress were those with vested interests to preserve. He did not blame them. He pitied them. They should not be allowed to stand in the way. “ The time is coming for the people to rule. If they do not want the legislation the Government has passed they can give us our walking tickets and we will take it like men.”