GOVERNMENT VIRTUES.

Southland Times, Issue 22733, 8 November 1935, Page 4

GOVERNMENT VIRTUES.

To the Editor.

Sir, —With all the praise and approvals that are being heralded for the present Government, both by candidate supporters and in the leading article of the Southland Times, and all and sundry who are declaring it to be infallable, and its legislation unquestionable, it is a wonder there are any so bold as to denounce its policy, or to suggest the desirability of a change. We might, however, look at one or two of its recent Acts Mr Golden and others give it a pat on the back and lay great stress on its clever move in connection with land mortgages in which it has declared that the mortgagor, his wife and family are to be adequately provided for and their needs a first call on the returns. I would ask Mr Golden and Mr Coates and all others who think that way, what about the mortgagee, his wife and family, many of whom have not had a penny return of the land for years? It may be an old couple who put their life’s savings into land mortgages; it may be a widow whose husband prior to his decease, invested their all on first mortgage, none of whom are receiving anything whatever to live on. Have these no right to live? Are they not in the picture? Why should the mortgagor be the only one to be considered? Many of them are living well and running a motor car and not endeavouring to economize or give any interest to the person who put his money into the property. Next we have the Government landed for increasing the salaries of the Civil Service, many of whom were receiving enough to keep two or three families, and for restoring all cuts back to those appertaining during the boom years. I would ask all who are praising the Government for this Act, if the farming community or the farm labourer is receiving anything in the nature of boom returns. Why should one part of the community be receiving boom salaries while the other is still on the slump allowance? Why should one man, because he was fortunate enough to obtain a Government position, be receiving £lO, £l5, £2O, to £5O per week, while another man has to try and exist on £2? Then we have all the boards brought before us and into the limelight by Mr McDougall. Scores of men drawing from £lOOO to £2OOO a year to do the work that 75 men or more sent up to Wellington might do. Mr Golden’s explanation is that these boards were set up to deal with questions requiring experts, which indicates there are none among the men in Parliament, and as Mr Golden wishes to join them it can be taken that he too has not the ability to deal with difficult problems. Then we have the Unemployment Tax. Why should the man earning only £lOO a year pay the same, proportion of tax as the man receiving (not earning) £2000? Why should there not be a graduated tax with £lOO exempt? Then we have the pensions increase. This may be all right, but can the country stand it? Besides it is belated. There are men who served throughout

the South African War and have suffered from injury or disease for 30 years, but were never offered a penny piece, and the few remaining ones left are generously offered the large sum of £l3 a year pension, conditional on qualifying for the Old Age pension, otherwise they receive nothing. There are many other little things that could be referred to, but these are just a few of the faults to set up alongside of the virtues. —I am, etc., “COCKATOO.”