PLEA FOR MORE SPENDING

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1929, Page 4

PLEA FOR MORE SPENDING

SOLVING DOMINION’S PROBLEM. CITIZENS LACK MORAL PLUCK. •' When things look, blackest is the time for the optimist to speak his mind,” said the Rev. Jasper Calder at the Auckland City Mission service on Sunday evening. “I have tremendous faith in this young country, but no Government can get us out of our troubles of poverty and unemployment unless that faith' is shared by New Zealanders generally.” Basing his remarks on Ezekiel’s vision of the wheels, Mr. Calder spoke of the tremendous part played by wheels in the world’s progress. Vehicles, machinery and engines were all dependent upon the wheels going round. Every student of economics knew that it was the regular steady “money flow” that made for national progress and prosperity. Relief works undertaken by the Government should be regarded as merely an extra.

“The people of New Zealand need only a little faith in this wonderful young country and our troubles can be settled in a matter of weeks,” said Mr. Calder. “I have nothing but contempt for the investor who ties all his money up in gilt-edged securities like an old lady’s investment at 24 per cent. Even the small man can do his bit by spending judiciously. Suppose one could wave a magic wand and send 500 motor-cars into the paint shop to-morrow, or order new rooms to be built on 500 houses, or send an order for launches, boats, etc. Think of the excitement, and then calmly follow the money flow. “It is a beautiful romance to follow the wheels of faith in industry. The public pays the builder, who pays wages and pays the mill. The millowners pay the bushmen, the country storekeeper, shipping or rail freights, and thus more wages, like the house that Jack built. The wheels- are going round. I say. most emphatically that £500,000 spent in Auckland wisely in constructive investment would restore the feeble faith of our citizens. I would infinitely prefer that that should happen than to see large sums distributed in charity. “The cry in New Zealand from the decent unemployed is not ‘no one will help us,’ but ‘no man hath hired us.’ If only this message could be taken seriously and our citizens had the moral pluck to spend, it would mean that some one would say to our unfortunate friends, 'Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right that I will pay you.’ “I have travelled in many lands, and lived in several,” concluded the misgioner. “New Zealand will do me. Our heritage of God ought to give us unbounded faith in our natural resources and industrious people. The wise use of faith just now will give ns all the right to say ‘Better times ahead.’ ”