The Daily News WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1932 LEADERSHIP ON TRIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1932, Page 6

The Daily News

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1932 LEADERSHIP ON TRIAL.

' OFFICES: NEW PLYMOUTH, Currie Streit. STRATFORD, Broadway. HAWERA, High Street.

In the whole of its history the Parliament of New Zealand has never had so severe a test of its capacity to rule “by the people and for the people” as confronts it to-day. Upon the Ministry must fall the task of leadership, but it is quite evident that it must have the whole-hearted and earnest assistance of Parliament if a way out of the economic morass is to be discovered and followed. So long as it is not party bickering there is reason to welcome the sharp differences of opinion among members of Parliament that been in evidence in the last week or two. u IR the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom, and in the conflict of opinions genuinely held, provided they are coupled with an earnest desire to deal fairly by every section of society, it is possible that some common ground for action can be found. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that unless such common understanding is arrived at the value of democratic rule will be open to serious question. In the war days a common danger and a common ideal of service made many things possible. To-day the peril of New Zealand is as grave as in those terrible years of conflict. Those years saw some of the finest youth of the Dominion sacrificed to stem the tyranny of militarism. To-day there is the danger that many of the younger citizens will have their natures daifeed and their higheg in-

stincts thwarted by the pressure of economic circumstances lor which they are not responsible, but which they are called upon to overcome. That is the most deplorable effect of the present depression. The boys and girls who see their parents and kinsmen out of work, or see the toil of years apparently bringing nothing but poverty in its train, who themselves are unable to find openings in which to begin their share of community effort, are extremely likely to fall into the temptation of thinking that effort is not worth while and that it is the duty of the community in some shape or fashion to keep them from duress or want. For the sake of those, who are doing their best, for the sake of New Zealand’s good name, above all for the sake of the younger generation, Parliament must attempt, as it has ffever yet attempted, to find some way in which endeavour has a chance of success, some way in which determination to win through can be rekindled, and the Dominion brought back to solvency. It is obvious where Parliament’s task must begin. New Zealand depends for its existence upon its primary industries, and if they can be brought back to a sound condition recovery for the rest of the community will follow. In every former economic crisis it has been possible to overcome low prices to some extent by increased production and lowered costs. To-day even that principle is challenged, thong'll it must be said at once that the more it is challenged the sounder it emerges. But because that principle has been challenged Parliamentarians have suggested other means of helping the primary industries. One of these suggestions, a higher exchange rate, has been condemned by those who are best able to judge of its soundness. The financial experts have themselves made other proposals which it is the duty of the Ministry and of Parliament to examine very thoroughly. The Prime Minister has hinted that the Government may have still further suggestions to make, and the sooner these reach the House of Representatives the better. Those who totally disapprove of the higher exchange proposal agree that its supporters have at least awakened Parliament to a sense of its responsibilities. It was time, for the Dominion has little patience with a Government policy of “wait and see,” or with an Opposition that talks grandiloquently about "organising the nation’s credit,” but does not show how it could be done and what such action would involve. Probably all that Parliament can suggest must be, in the meantime, but a palliative. Nevertheless, there is no reason why expediency should run counter to principle even for the sake of immediate relief, and there is certainly no reason for doing nothing, because all that Parliament would wish to do is not within its immediate capacity. Representative Government is not a simple or an inexpensive administrative machine. It is upon its reliability and usefulness in a time of strain such as the present that its value to the Dominion will he assessed and the country’s prospects lightened or depressed.