ESSENTIALS IN POLITICS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 2 December 1922, Page 4

ESSENTIALS IN POLITICS

IT was hoped three years age. that a larger proportion oi competent men would be among the candidates in response to the urgent rail for talent to help the State through the difficult period of national construction, hut the result was disappointing, 10-day the need of such help is greater than ever, but there is no appreciable change in the calibre of the various candidates throughout the Dominion. '1 his is regrettable. hut it is nofe surprising, because many able men find in their private business, that they have to give, the greater part of their time and energy to their own affairs in these difficult days. The science and art oi polities tends to lapse into a. play ot fiddlesticks. There is a pother of little tilings, and much n-do about nothing in particular. To show how the average candidate indicates his ignorance of Now Zealand s real needs, h is necessary to mention only one glaring fact—the lack of consistent thought, and helpful speech on the question of the development ot New /.calami s industries .as a primary need, and also the absence of a great concentration on (he (ask of providing adequately lor the unfortunate! and the aged. Dn the one hand, everyone knows, of course, that the Dominion now is mainly dependent on the primary industries, which have prosperity or anxiety according to the markets overseas. The greatest importance attaches to the eilieient working of these industries. On the success or lailurc of the primary producers depends the welfare of (he whole country-—lock, stock ami barrel. By (he aid of the Meat Controt .Hoard, and a prospective Dairy Produce Cm/trol Hoard and similar organisations, it is Imped to greatly reduce the element, ol risk in the markets overseas. Naturally some though tin! men in all the parties —Reform, Liberal and Labour —have raised the question oi. less dependence on the overseas markets. 1 They argue that New Zealand should strive for the ideal of self-reliance, as far as it is practicable. They favour a policy which would assure an increasing consumption of Now Zealand s meat, butter, cheese and other produce, for the maintenance of industrialists in this country, instead of their upkeep in other countries. A great need is for the expansion and extension of secondary industries. For New Zealand cannot hope to grow greatly in population ami strength unless industrial development is wisely promoted. This argument brings up the land question, the immigration question, the defence ; in fact, every important question of statesmanship. What are the candidates saying about it? f lhen, as stated above, there is the obvious duty of providing adequately for the unfortunate and the aged. New Zealand is not doing its duty in this respect—not by a long way. : Again, what are the candidates saying about it? /The people have to get the truth firmly fixed that the national wealth necessary for maintenance of the. aged and infirm must have its ultimate expression in food, clothing and other necessaries—ami Urn assuring of such supplies on a, great national scale would demand very careful and intelligent management. As we have said many times before, it is a big task, a big need, but there are no insurmountable difficulties. The principal difficulty is a very old one—the difficulty of persuading the representatives of the people to give enough thought, time and energy to the achievement of such an ideal.