THE VOICE OF THE PRESS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 46, 29 June 1929, Page 5

THE VOICE OF THE PRESS

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

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CURRENT EVENTS REVIEWED,

EXPLOITING GTHE EARTHQUAKE

It has been reserved for the “New Zealand Herald” to find in the

earthquake an opportunity for airing its political convictions by a gratuitous and baseless attack upon the Government. According to our morning contemporary. Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues have been guilty of a grave dereliction of duty in failing to relieve all this distress comprehensively and instantaneously. By what process of reasoning can any rational human being convince himself that the Government, or any power on earth, could start road-making and bridgebuilding at a moment’s notice in country originally rough and difficult and now torn and shattered into fragments by this great convulsion? The chief, engineer of the Public oWrks Department has already stated that the repairs of the Buller Gorge road alone will tike years of heavy work and the expenditure of at least a million pounds. The best friends of the Herald must regret that it has chosen t 0 exploit such a tragedy in the interests of party ptolifticsAuckland Star.

TAXATION. Though little new ground is covered, the programme for the session’s work outlined in the Gover-nor-General’s Speech at the opening of Parliament is an ambitious one. Most of, the matters have already been referred to by Sir Joseph Ward on the public platform, and nothing new respecting them is disclosed in His Excellency’s Speech. Tnose who have been looking forward with some anxiety to the Government’s proposals in the way of taxation may find something to hope for in the reference to this subject. “The Estimates for the present yeap,” the Speech reads, “are being most carefully scrutinised, but some adjustment of the incidence of taxation will be necessary.” The expression “some adjustments in the incidence” does not suggest any extreme departure, but one never can tell. It is very desirable that Sir Joseph Ward should not dally unduly in bringing forward his taxation proposals. There (is lijttle doubt that while these remain undisclosed a state of uncertainty prevails which is prejudicial to a free expansion of investments and business enterprise.—The Dominion.

ADYICE nm POLITICIANS' Of course, it will be a week or two at the' earliest before Parliament is dome with formalities and impressive, but valueless, preliminaries. The country will expect Parliament without a moment s delay to proceed with the necessitous work fo relieving acute distress in the earthquake area and begin the reconstructive task of. repairing roads and public utilities, so that a stricken people may be given heart to resume normal life at their ravaged homes. When this humane service has been started and rendered effectively, Parliament should then resolve to cut out party cackle (all the parties know quite well that they have no intention whatever to face an emergency election) and devote its time and such ability as it possesses to the needs of settlers, manufacturers, traders aud the interet of the whole country.—Auckland Sun.

SAMOA. The recent Samoan trouble has been due in part to mistakes by the administration but also in part to the activities of the traders. Probably the truth is that New Zealand attempted to apply to the Samoans methods of government that had been successful with the Maoris only after half a century ol; more or less continuous trouble. The funda-j mental mistake was made in overlooking the fact that the Samoans i are to all intents and purposes /rather troublesome children, and it is the discipline of the school rather than the guidance of the politician /that they really need.—Christchurch Star.