THE GOVERNMENT POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23330, 23 October 1937, Page 11

THE GOVERNMENT POLICY

TO THE EDITOR Sir.—Criticism of certain parts of the Labour Party's policy should be fairly easy, and yet the Opposition Party does not seem to be making some obvious criticisms. Take the Government house building scheme, for example. The rate of interest, as you know, is being kept down by the Government. Now, plenty of people are prepared to take a first mortgage on a house at 4i per cent., but not a second mortgage, as they want a higher rate of interest for it. If this higher rate were allowed for second mortgages the housing shortage would be less acute. Then, why not employ all the unemployed in tar-sealing the main highways before instituting a national health scheme and other expensive measures? Surely, with lodges to help poor people the question of national health must take second place to the problem of the unemployed? Another question is, Why on the one hand allow Australian-manufactured articles to compete with New Zea-land-made goods, and on the other hand cut out Australian oranges, which are not grown in New Zealand in sufficient quantities? Why pick on oranges? There are plenty of other Australian imports which could have tariffs raised against them in preference to oranges.—l am, etc., Interested.