INFORMING THE PEOPLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22499, 17 August 1936, Page 8

INFORMING THE PEOPLE

Mr. Nash's decision to issue a pamphlet explaining the new housing policy is a -step in the right direction. More could well be done in this way, setting forth what the Government is undertaking to do on behalf of citizens or the obligations laid on them by fresh legislation. A great deal of misunderstanding would thus be avoided. The democratic ideal is under fire from several directions at the present time, and the best way to preserve democratic institutions appears to be to secure the intelligent interest of the people in the problems of the Government. They may not always agree with what is being done, but, if they have a grasp of public affairs, there will be less muddled thinking and less of that discontent and resentment felt by those groping in the dark. Mr. Coates established a good precedent when he published a booklet giving arguments for and against quotas and a second discussing the mortgage problem. In that way he gave a valuable lead to public discussion of highly important subjects. Mr. Nash's pamphlet will be of another kind, being intended to supply informative and authoritative details on the housing policy as already determined and enacted. Even so, it must prove useful and helpful to many people, if it is written clearly. The same need exists for a simple official treatise on the new industrial laws and the guaranteed price scheme, concerning which many people are befogged. They should be able to rely on something more accurate than hearsay or popular explanations. The same applies to the new scales for income and land tax. Too many people have in the past had to rely on the accuracy of the official assessment. It would be a real satisfaction to them, and of value in a democratic State, if the system were clearly explained so that they could check the assessments. Mr. Nash's simplification of the income tax scale should make it possible for every taxpayer to work out what is due from him. There is one condition which must, of course, be observed if these official pamphlets are to serve an educative function—they must be quite impartial. Even a hint of propaganda would discount their value..