The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1932. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 February 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1932. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.

Pr is clear from the revelations in Parliament that the Dominion is still in the thick of its financial difficulties. Despite ali that has been done, a 1 serious drift has taken place, and the j pro. pect of a deficit of three milI lioits at the end of next month, a is 1 not a chceiful outlook. With the heavy loan payments, over next financial yea I, and the bar against borrowing to assist the position, the country, it is estimated, will have to find and to save to the tune of about twelve millions extra, The pruning knife and the economy axe will both require to be used to some purpose, but in addition the’ people must be prepared to pay extra • taxa-tion-,The maintenance of the national credit is a duty which cannot be neglected. We have seen how the J Labour Government in New South Wales lias wrecked the ciedit and j reputation of the Mother State. But those who will not sec, decline to realise the folly to which Labour leaders are addicted. In our own country speaking in Christchurch recently Labour Members of Parliament did all they could by encouraging speech at an unemployed demonstration. to support the men’s demands for better pay for relief work. The Members -of Parliament chided the electors as a whole for not returning a Labour majority at the last poll, and went on the say that if a Labour Government were in power the demands of the unemployed would be acceeded to!. This is the talk which encourages unrest among the men. and assists to checkmate the earnest endeavours of the Ministry to honestly stem the difficulties. It is clear to all who will recognise the facts so obvious, that the country is in extreme difficulty financially, and in that, plight it is the duty of Members of Parliament in particular to co-oper-ate to help save the situation. In the Old Land, Mr MacDonald, Viscount Snowden and other prominent men of the British Labour party gave a lead in the interpretation of the duty to save Labour, hut that example jis not being followed so far in New Zealand. Tt would appear from the Prime Minster, that Mr Forbes is I bent on pushing through business of vita) importance to the country’s weli fare, and he is hopeful of good prn- | greos. It is now certain that the OnI position purposes to function as an opposition mainly, and is not going i to lie lielplul al 'the outset with too progress of business. It is a groat piiv when matters arc o critical that more team work is not forthcoming in p.irlianr Mary circles. There is the call for unify as ever there was for the country's good. and the public owes it lo the Government struggling In do its best for the general weal, lo oiler all moral support. This electorale is rcprc'-cii 1c 1 by a Labour ! sdheren t. but we do not think I In* j eleetnrs ale al all w 1 de hearted 111 'the desire ;o her,mss (1.-* Government, cr |o seek to desire it lo al tempt anything nol financially possible. For (bat reasi , some eoiiercle expression of public o in ion by the different cmnniiiiii I ii's would be of inteie-l, aid making quite Hear u link Weslluml thinks about r;ny action to hamper or not to support tin* Government in its obvious duty at this juncture.

With the financial outlook as it is, and with the present register of unemployed, the Government in the discharge of its true functions of admiiji.LriiLtoa, cannot afford to permit tlie problem to drift. The winter period is ahc.d, and the most difficult season of the year must be prepared for. It is clear that more money must be found in the first place, and to that end the communities must submit as cheerfully as they can to extra levies on wages. This may have the effect of drying up the channels of free giving which in the past (particularly in the centres) has been very liberal; but an assured finance is requiied and more money must be raised. Me have not had the details of the revised scheme promised by Air Coates, but we do hope it will be materially helpful. To be «o. more money is an essential, we take it, and to that cud contribution,:' 'should he chcetfully. Some changes are being made in the administration of the Unemployed Board. The new Commissioner has a wide experience and should be more practical than his predecessor who was more a man of figures, though unquestionably ope bent on doing his very best in the’ 1 difficult sphere. There is one other aspect of the problem, and that is the finding of useful, not to say reproductive work in connection with the expenditure. To achieve that, works further afield must be undertaken and sotne extra expense must tie faced for transport and fuller time, but if there is the return for the outlay, that is better than the current methods which are often merely to find work irrespective of the community or reproductive value of the same.