PARTY BEFORE COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1930, Page 6

PARTY BEFORE COUNTRY.

The decision of tile Australian Labour Party to decline the offgr of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament to form • part of a .‘‘National. Council” .to deal with the desperate fininciai condition of the Commonwealth is not surprising. 'Fifteen years ago. ths game party refused to heed dvtffi the thiliiderbolts of "watfale and to organise efficiently the resources of the nation, to meet an enemy who Was then within measurable distatice of victory. It is history that the best of the Labour .Party joined with politibal enemies to form a National Government and that the party has only jiist returned to power. It is now faced with an econtiffiic crisis alffiost as serious as the military position in 1915. It has been‘’shewn by the expert whose aid it invoked h6w best the difficulties can be bverebine. The way 16 not easy were all sections of the community ready and willing to make the necessary efforts and sacrifices. 1 Recognising thi?, the Na\ tionnlists suggested co-operation of all political payties in a united Government to djeal with a time of grave emergehey. While rendering lip service to the proposal the Labour caucus libs declined to accept it,-and wfidt is more, is calling upon the Labour Ministry to find money for the relief of wheat growers? for public Works that will absorb the unemployed, and other matters, which indicates a blind ignoring of facts as thpy exi^t.. ■ The special session of Parliament called to deal with finance' has done little or nothing, largely because the Government must take its orders from the caucus, Which works in secret. When the Prime Minister returns from the Imperial Conference it may be that he will be able to convince his. followers that the emergency is real and that the country’s interests are paramount, even though party advantages may suffer. On the other hand, the attitude in his absence does not conduce to optimism. The worst Of it is that nonrecovcry in Australia has some illeffect upon financial affairs in New Zealand, so that the actions of the Federal Government are of more than passing interest.”'