UNITED PARTY PROMISES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20561, 12 May 1930, Page 14

UNITED PARTY PROMISES.

Sir,--A week; ago members of the Gov. eminent were proclaiming from platforms in Parnell that the United Party had fulfilled ifs promises. They were all con. tained in the promise that the country would be so "led to prosperity bv Sir Joseph Ward" through the ap.! plication of "the policy for per. manent prosperity." Yet, when a deputation asked for increased wages in the Post and Telegraph Department— a com. mercial business, conducted independently of the national exchequer—Mr. Forbes replied that there is "a difficult time ahead"; declared that the country is in "a difficult position" and predicted "very hard times." lie also complained that the present Government has not had the "good fortune" of being in office with the country, in a very good position, These observations constitute a frank admission either that the Government feels helpless to influence the condition of tho country or that its policy has utterly failed. It cannot plead that it has not had time to achieve its purpose. Fully a year ago one of its Ministers made a tour of the Dominion, during which he repeatedly boasted that as a result of only a few months' direction by the United Government the country had recovered confidence, animation and prosperity. If that was true then, who is to blame now for tho "hard times" of Mr. Forbes* complaint? In fact, the Government is not responsible; but heavy responsibility falls on it for having misled tho country by grandiose promises which it could not fulfil, and few of which it has even attempted to perform. For instance, tho party promised that all members of export control boards would be elected by direct vote of the producers. A fortnight ago, Mr. Forbes formally refused to apply this principle to the Dairy Board. The country may suffer patiently under the weakness, the vacillation and the? futility of the United Government, but ii vriil never forgive its arrogant boasting. Many, people are probably concealing their, resentment be&ause they shrink from the acknowledgment, even in the secrecy of the ballot box, of their own credulity. Conservative.'