THE YEAR OF REDEMPTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 July 1922, Page 5

THE YEAR OF REDEMPTION.

BEWARE OF POLITICAL PIETY. (Contributed by the Welfare League). ' In this, the year of a general election, it is necessary that the people should wake up to the danger of their oe;ng fed wholly upon chaif. Already the too pious politicians are abroad in the land, and they will be most ready to protess anything that the ele-tors want 10-day wefind the red revolutionists endeavouring to persuade all who listen to thorn that they are really exceedingly ]oyal to the King, Empire and Constitution. They plead earnestly that they are "not understood," they were really always so very loyal that they j feared to mention it. etc. This is the ! year of redemption, when the power of ' decision is in the hands of the elec- j t?. rs~that is- if the electors refuse to allow themselves to be but as the clay ' m the hands of thepotters. We want to see it made a year of redemption for the j Dominions in its unity as a free democ-1 racy. j The cant of party politics requires to be estimated at its proper value and treated as all canting deserves. Beware of the high sounding political piety that deals m wide generalities to bring us complete change of conditions, whilst avoiding, or failing to understand, the detailed problems of the Dominion's finance, requirements and general specific business. Redemption of mere hack politicians and party madmen will not suffice to meet the wants of the country at a time of great financial stress such as we ar.e faced with. It is time for placing the Dominion's financial, productive, trading, credit and general conditions before all other considerations and, certainly, ahead of all abstract, theoretic postulates. HARD FACTS TO FACE. The League has recently pointed out that the expenditure on our general public service has increased thus : 1914----15, £7,874.625; 1918-19, £9.454,748: 1921-22 £15,592,677. There is something to think seriously over. Again we find that interest and pensions increased during the same period from £3,738,491 to £11,526,277. If we turn to the railways we find that expenditure. per cent, of revenue rose from 66.32 per cent, in 1918-19 to 93.89 per cent, in 1921-22. Again, something very serious to consider. Taking the years 1914-15 and 1921-22, we find that whilst the railway revenue increased by roughly £2,500,000, the ex- '' penditure increased by £3,500,000. The postal service, though the rates were doubled since August 1. 1920, showed a loss last year of £1300." It may be admitted that there has been large increases of costs in materials and salaries, but that does not help us out of the difficutly that these enormous burdens have still to be carried. j In its campaign for national ■economy the League seeks the support of the general public, and especially those in productive and commercial businesses, which are being crushed by the heavy taxation they have to meet. We urge that every candidate for Parliament should he required to give a pledge to place the country's business before all '■ else, and. if returned, be ready to constructively support whatever Govern-' ment is in power towards effecting real : reform of the State Departments and finances. This is a national pledge which we suggest the electors should exact from those who come forward »i«; candidates, as the nation should come before party or sectional interet for the welfare of all. <