DRASTIC ACTION

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1935, Page 7

DRASTIC ACTION

reform programme GOVERNMENT OF CANADA PROBLEM OF DEPRESSION - j SOLUTION MUST BE FOUND POSSIBLE NEW SYSTEM

By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. Rec.' 5.5 p.m. Ottawa, Jan. 2. ' Ringing up the curtain on the general election campaign, Mr. R. B. Bennett, Prime Minister of Canada, to-day announced that the Government would go to the people on a programme of reform which he believed would bring prosperity and security against future depressions. , .. “The time has come to change the economic system,” Mr. Bennett said. “In my mind reforms mean Government intervention, control and regulation, and the end of laissez-faire. Reform heralds certain recovery. There can be no permanent recovery without reform. “I raise the issue squarely and nail the flag of progress to the masthead. I summon the power of the State to its support. If we cannot abolish the dole we should abolish the system. t “Since taking office the Governments policies have been determined .by the critical nature of the circumstances. We had first to save the ship and guide it into less troubled waters. “The economic system will be examined without prejudice of any sort. We neither hate it nor love it. If it has failed we must change it.” There would be ample time for the electorate to study the proposals, which would be outlined specifically in later addresses, Mr. Bennett added. Rumour places the probable election date at any time from April to October, with a late date probable.