GOVERNMENT’S WAR POLICY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 20 February 1941, Page 6

GOVERNMENT’S WAR POLICY

; PEOPLE FACING THE POSITION MR NASH’S VIEW l United Press Association! Wellington, This Day. It was announced by the Minister of Finance, Mr W. Nash, that subscriptions to the war loan by way of cash applications and conversions of free-of-interest loan totalled £9,126,000. No less than £2.600,000 had been lent interest-free, but of this £1,400,000 had been converted into war loan and included in the £9,126,000 total.

Speaking of default in contributing to the war loan, Mr Nash stated the position in regard to members of the fighting forces, saying that it was proposed to deal with such cases on the assumption that an appeal had been lodged and that except where a soldier had an appreciable income apart from his military pay exemption was granted automatically.

Mr Nash said that he fully appreciated the heavy demands on the taxpayers on account of the war and consequently the response made was a gratifying and stimulating evidence of the manner in which all sections of the community were facing up to the position and lending aid to the Government’s all-in- war policy. To ensure that the Dominion’s economy was kept in a sound position, however, and in particular to avoid inflationary influences it was necessary to reduce private purchasing power, and this of course necessitated heavy financial demands on the individual. The majority of people had fulfilled their obligations in many cases only with difficulty. He hoped that reminders which had been sent out to those who should have but have not subscribed would bring a ready response.