Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th., 1938. LABOUR TACTICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1938, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th., 1938. LABOUR TACTICS.

JN these days of Labour propaganda, Ministerial and otherwise—published mainly by an allegedly biased “capitalist” Press —it is refreshing to realise that there is another side to the picture of Dominion politics. A glimpse of this was given at Greymouth, last evening, by Mr. K. J. Ilolyoake, M.P. for Motueka. Unfortunately, he was the victim of a well-known form of pre-election Labour “argument,” and determined heckling was the order of the evening. Such tactics are a demonstration of weakness on the , part of those employing them, and will recoil upon the heads of the Labour Party. New Zealanders as a whole believe in the principle of fair play, but some Labour supporters at Greymouth evidently have other ideas. Nevertheless, Mr. Ilolyoake demonstrated that all that glitters in the political shop-window of Messrs Savage and Co. is not gold. While extending a welcome to Mr. Holyoake, regret may be expressed that the'

••’ !■ » . National Party has not yet announced its candidate for the Westland seat. If the latter is to he wrested from its present occupant, the strength of whose hold is recognised, every effort will be required, and no further time should be lost in selecting a candidate and entering the lists in earnest.

One of the most difficult problems with which the Government will be faced in the coming campaign is the justification, to the satisfaction of the country, of its taxation demands. The sum collected in general taxation during the nine months ended December 31 last was £18,306,000,as against £16,160,000 collected in 1936, and £13,446,000 in 1935. Since the Labour Government took office in 1936, general taxation has increased by £8,782,000. In the same period the national expenditure, exclusive of public works, has increased from £25,890,000 in 1936 to £34,728,000 (estimated) in 1938. Judging by the returns for the first nine months of the current financial year, it may be expected that the taxation collected by March 31 will total approximately £30.338,000 under general headings, and £5,180,000 in unemployment levies, making in all £35,518,000 collected from a population of a little over one and a-half million people. Resentment, is felt that the sales tax is still in operation. despite the Labour Party’s promise that it would be removed. The effect of this tax upon the cost of living is not negligible, but the reluctance of the Government to dispense with this source of revenue may be understood, when it is stated that the estimated receipts for 1938 are calculated at no less than £3,650.000, which, on the figures for the nine months, will he realised.

A desire to improve the living conditions of the people is no monopoly of the Labour Party, but commonsense should impose a limit. This was realised by the National Government, and the policy of economy pursued during the depression, although unpopular, was justified by the improvement in conditions noticeable at the time Labour came into office. It is futile for the present Government to claim full credit, for the improvement in the Dominion’s position. Sir Josiah Stamp, the wellknown English economist and financial authority, who was a through passenger from Sydney, a few days ago. placed, his finger on the weakness of the, Labour policy of extravagant expenditure, when he.remarked that “one can always cloak truth for a long while on a rising market. It will be a falling world market that will test the situation.” He did not say that there never could be conditions under which could reduce hours and increase wages with success, but instances of that kind were pretty rare. “Perhaps,” he added, “things are different in New Zealand from the rest of the world.” Under Labour administration, things are certainly becoming different, but the difference is not pleasing to New Zealanders generally. They will be given an early opportunity of making a. change.