PRIVATE OWNERSHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25866, 9 June 1945, Page 7

PRIVATE OWNERSHIP

SIR JOHN ANDERSON’S VIEWS SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE INSPIRED LONDON, June 7. “ I am not a party man and have never before taken any part whatever in a general election,” said the Chancellor the the Exchequer, Sir John Ahderson, in the fourth of the series of leaders’ general election broadcasts. He was convinced that a broad-based Government was still needed, commanding the widest measure of support throughout the country. Nothing could be more damaging, in view of the enormous problems, both domestic and international, facing them than a

Government lacking the strength and confidence com ; n r ’ fron-. a soHd majority in Parliament or a Government which wa& more intent on me pursuit of doctrinaire theories than a practical solution of the country’s problems. The nation could not allow expenditure to outstrip revenue indefinitely, and must realise the absolute necessity of balancing the national accounts at a reasonably early date. In the meantime, it was essential that there should be an adequate volume of genuine sayings, which would be needed to provide money for houses, factories, ships, buildings, and, over all, to prevent the danger of inflation, from which the present Government was determined to protect them. Borrowing would still be necessary for some time after the war. Sir John Anderson stressed the point that their financial system required regulation and the maintenance of certain controls and confidence —confidence in the soundness, of the national policy —and that certain social evils which the late Government had pledged to remedy would not be neglected. He instanced projects to remedy unemployment, for social insurance, health service, and housing, and exoressed the opinion, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, that, with such confidence, “we can and shall afford them.” . , Dealing with the questmn of private versus public ownership. Sir John Andei’son said: “ Let us pin our faith on free enterprise, which has served us well in the past, on which our prosperity has been built, and which *has inspired our spirit of adventure.” There were certain activities which might well require a large measure o f public control, but he entirely disagreed with Mr Attlee when he said they should have under control a spirit of enterprise which was lacking to-day. It was unquestionably to private enterprise that they must look to see them through the problems of the next few years.