OTHER PAPERS’ OPINIONS.

Matamata Record, Volume XIII, Issue 1141, 24 July 1930, Page 4

OTHER PAPERS’ OPINIONS.

CENSUS CONTINUITY.

Members fit Parliament who see nothing in the Census but a population count as a basis for the alteration of electoral boundaries may agree, readily to the postponement, especially if they do not want their electorates altered. But the Census means more than this. It means the compilation of accurate statistics which are of great value in the decision of many questions of national policy. Information is gained concerning the health, wealth and occupation of the people that should be used (though we doubt if it always is) by politicians in deciding such issues as taxation, unemployment relief, land settlement and transport. It is important, if the information is to be of greatest value, that the Census should be taken at regular intervals. —Wellington Evening Post.

AS A BUSINESS, There was a possibility that dismissals might have been avoided had the suggestion to “ ration ” work been accepted ; but negotiations on this proposal pro.ved fruitless. We are doubtful, in any circumstances, whether “ rationing ” could have been successfully applied to present Railway conditions. The Department was loaded with more men than it normally required. It was able to use their services in overtaking arrears in the workshops. It could possibly have carried on for a while by working ahead of demand; but to use the services of an increased staff on current work it would have to extend its business. Every effort has been made to bring about this extension, but, thqugh some recovery has been made in freights, passenger business has not been regained. “ Rationing ” is a temporary measure, and sooner or later the Department would have had to get back to normal staffing. So long a 3 the Government could face the financial strain it made the date “ later.” Now the financial pressure is greater, and on Mr. Veitch has fallen the hard task of reducing expenditure,*— Wellington Evening Post.