PICNIC POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23437, 28 February 1938, Page 10

PICNIC POLITICS

The Prime Minister was in cheerful mood at Featherston on Saturday. It cannot be accounted an easy task to deliver a political address at a picnic. Doubtless, though, the size of Mr Savage’s audience would make garden party politics seem tame sport by comparison, inspiring him, perhaps, to exceptional efforts to harmonise politics and picnicking. He succeeded very well indeed, and his optimistic survey of Labour’s achievements in office and of its plans for the future must have been one of the high lights of the day’s pleasure. There were portions of the speech that had a familiar ring. The story of the miraculous return of prosperity after less than two years of Labour’s rule was retold with gusto. Production had bgen greatly expanded in practically every direction, there had been a record increase in the number of factory workers, new companies had been registered, new factories built, profits had grown and private incomes had advanced by 36 per cent., and all because the electors, aware at last of the “destructive nonsense ” practised by the National Government during the period of economic depression, had placed the Labour Party in office to save what it could out of the wreck. Mr Savage has no illusions about the part played by his Government in effecting economic improvement. He has said before that such prosperity as the country is now enjoying will last “only so long as the present Government is in power to maintain it.” He repeats now that, even if there should be another depression overseas, the policy of the Government would be to prevent its effects from being felt in the Dominion. The Government has always claimed that it is possible to do that, but beyond suggesting now that the key to the method would be found in Labour’s monetary policy—“the Government will not hesitate to use the public credit still further whenever the necessity arises ” —the Prime Minister is still not inclined to offer much enlightenment. Economic recovery in the Dominion is. ' of course, almost entirely due to the fact of a phenomena] increase in the income derived from exports—an expansion of £10.000,000 in one year—and not, as the Prime Minister would have the country believe, to the special genius for government displayed by himself and his colleagues. The statement that the buoyancy of the national finances will last only so long as Labour is in office is too absurd to be seriously considered It will last while the Dominion’s export income is maintained at the present gratifyingly high level, and while boom conditions exist to encourage industrial expansion and stimulate employment One feature of Mr Savage’s address of special interest was his reference to' the national health and superannuation proposals, concerning which

there had been some expectation, prompted by Ministerial statements, that the necessarj- legislation would be introduced [into Parliament early in the sefß’.ion now resuming. Mr Savage {indicates, however, that the Government is not yet ready to place its proposals on the Statute Book, and he -Ms given a belated but none the | less welcome undertaking that ample opportunity will be given to all {interested parties to state their vtews to a Select Committee of the {House of Representatives before thiiji legislation is finally drafted, probably in time for consideration duiring the final session of the present Parliament. The Government isj undoubtedly wise to take tim|t in this matter. The preparation of the Bills will necessarily present many difficulties, all of which musj be overcome if the plans are to take practicable shape Everything is to be gained by making the field of inquiry as wide ias possible and by giving the fullest opportunity for public discussion of legislation so closely affecting the personal interests of each j individual citizen. i