The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1928. A TIME FOR HELPFUL CRITICISM.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10510, 14 February 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1928. A TIME FOR HELPFUL CRITICISM.

The need on the part of the Government to assist in making more employment available has become impressed on Mr Coates and his Gaoinet. Word lias now been received to the effect that work is to be found for 2000 additional men in the North Island and a scheme is being worked out for the South Island. Bad as the position admittedly is, ft is, a pity that the opponents of the Government have adopted a factious rather than a helpful attitude. It will have been noted, for instance, that Mr Forbes, the Nationalist—U.NTZ.P. leader, could not refrain from inferring that, if the Liftera! Government had not come into office in the early 90’s this Dominion would have remained in the throes of the depression which was so pronounced the world over in the 80’s and right down well into the 90 s. That ,of course, is a childish suggestion, put forward merely in an attempt to gain political capital. And then, again, it will have been observed that Mr Holland, the Leader of the Labor Party and of the Official Opposition, speaking for a deputation last week, to the Prime Minister and two "of his colleagues, went so far astray as to aver that the current wave of unemployment had brought about worse conditions than had ever been experienced in thrs country. Tie plan facts of the matter. however, are that present conditions, unsatisfactory as they are, are infinitely better than the more unhappy state of affairs that prevailed in this Dominion in the 80’s and the early 90’s. At any rate, comparisons will not help to rid this country of the menace of unemployment. Mr. Coates, it seems, told the deputationists last week that it would be impossible to go on the London money market for a loan to meet the unemployment difficulty. On every hand, it will be agreed that his contention in that regard is sound. As a matter of fact, we believe that the Government has delayed raising a further loan simply on the ground that it does not wish it to be said that the new moneys are wanted not wholly for permanent reproductive works but. in fact, for temporary relief works. This is. of course, a time when opponents of the Government should refuse to he disseminators of political propaganda aimed at blaming the Government for the prevalence of unemployment. As Mr. Coates told the deputation, “chickens have a habit of coming home to roost.” What : --+onded to convey would, of course, he apparent even to those who have not hesitated to broadcast “news” concerning the Dominion bearing the brand “Stinking Fish.” It is not secret that the Government is in a dilemma as to liow to prevent a continuance of unemployment. What its opponents should make up tlie-r minds to do, in the circumstances, it to try and he helpful, and not destructive., in their criticism. Nothing can possibly be gained by either of the Opposition parties setting out to make the unemployment evil a political question.