Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1931. HOMELAND’S TROUBLES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1931, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1931. HOMELAND’S TROUBLES.

'J’HE National Government had reason to be satisfied with the first day’s proceedings in the House of Commons, its majority on the first test question being of comforting margin. It was to bo expected that there would be greater unity in the Opposition ranks than in the Ministerial, seeing that Labourites alone compose the former, whereas the latter is a combination of all Parties, each with contrary aims in normal times. The sooner an appeal is made to the electors, the better, as once the Supplementary Budget is approved, the Coalition will have achieved the purpose of its being. The crisis, in the Homeland had been foreshadowed for a long time, .administrative expenditure being far more than even so wealthy a country coukj afford. Trade did not improve, the June quarter being the worse for many years. Imports for the first six months of this year were £417,873,843, a decline on the similar period in 1930, of £123,815.420. Exports totalled £199,155,979, a decline oi> £105,695,273. The German crisis indirectly caused a run on gold held in London, it being reported in France that Mr. Henderson (then Foreign Secretary) had hinted to the French Premier that if Germany declared a moratorium, Bri-* - i tain would have to follow that example. This report was officially declared to be without foundation, but the mischief was done, and formed another factor in the attack on sterling and British credit. Happily, the crisis was met, but the developments forced Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Snowden to realise that Labour’s-spending must be considerably curtailed. The result of their insistence is well known.

The Budget proposals are being awaited with great public interest, and however drastic they may be, if. may be assumed that a majority in the Commons will approve them. The manner in which the country takes the new demands wilb be what matters. There must be a rich field for anti-Government propaganda, and the insistence by the Conservatives, that tariff duties are essentia], will weaken any Liberal desire to fuse with Mr. Baldwin’s Party.,Denunciations of financiers, upholding of Free Trade and promises of spoliation of the rich, combined with references to “foreign

bankers ’• dominat ion. ” will be prominent in the Labour election cries, and it is difficult to estimate to what extent the electors, male and female, young and old, will swallow this bait. The issues may become so confused that no one Party’s platform will be of the type to attract general confidence. Meanwhile, it. is not without significance that “demonstrations” have commenced, the police having to take drastic action in the vicinity of Parliament House. A similar happening is reported from the Trades Union Congress at Bristol, where “unemployed’/ were refused a hearing. Obviously, Communists and other agitators intend to fish in troubled waters, and it will not be surprising if clashes with the police become frequent. Whether Moscow is encouraging these unlawful activities, is difficult to prove, but the Soviet realises that a Baldwin Ministry will not be forbearing to Russia, as was the Labour Cabinet. Altogether, Britain is facing anxious times, which must hhve adverse effect on her i trade with other parts of the Empire.