HONOUR AND DEBTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21377, 29 December 1932, Page 11

HONOUR AND DEBTS

Sir, "A.L." disagrees with my letter respecting our Government s offer to leassume liability for payments due on our debt to Great Britain. He says the cheers with which the offer was received in tho House of Commons "will do more to remove irritation in industrial centres, to sell our products, and keep hunger fiom our homes than any other single measuie the Government could devise. ' Vv ell, the offer was declined with thanks, but does '-'A.L." infer that the offer was made so that we might the better sell our products and thus increase our own prosperity? If so, why talk about being in honour bound" to make the offer? Why not have said, "In order to increase our prospects of doing business with you we offer to reassume liability for payments due on our debt to you." "A.L. _ says "statesmen who have recently been in the Old Country understand the situation. Maybe they do, and if so, I think they could render assistance to Britain in two ways, either of which would be better than the offer they made. First let them order from Britain goods which could not be produced in New Zealand to the value of the debt payments, or, second, let them pay that money as extra wages to Vorkers in New Zealand, who will then he the better able to purchase British goods. If our statesmen say they have not the money for either of these purposes, will they, or will "A.L., _ tell us where was the money with which they would have paid the debt had the which they felt "in honour bound' to I make been accepted ? Tom Bloodworth.