A COMMON DUTY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18831, 20 March 1931, Page 4

A COMMON DUTY.

SQUARING THINGS UP. (Associated Chambers of Commerce). The emergency session of Parliament, called to deal with the most pressing economic crisis of a generation in this country, has now begun. The Speech from the Throne, delievered on Wednesday by Lord Bledisloe, expressed the Government’s conviction that “the difficulties confronting the Dominion can only be effectually overcome by considerable sacrifices on the part of all sections of the community.” The truth of this generalisation cannot be questioned, and it becomes a common duty to face the consequent obligations as promptly and cheerfully as possible. Cheerfulness is not, of course, essential, nor will it be universal, human nature being what it is; but promptitude there must be. Delay in applying the remedy will only allow the trouble to become worse and necessitate more drastic treatment.

The immediate deficit in the national budget is to be attended to as far as is possible at the moment by the reduction in the salaries and wages of Government servants, accounting for £1,500,000; the reduction of other expenditure by £1,250,000, by the modification of Post and Telegraph charges, estimated to produce about £900,000 additional, and the increasing of income and other taxation to provide £850.000. These are the concrete steps by which it is hoped the State balance sheet can be approximately balanced for the current year. Parliament now has the opportunity of expressing what must theoretically be regarded as the opinion of the country upon the Government’s proposals. It can only be hoped that it will recognise that in the present circumstances the country does not want Parliament to act on party lines: it wants Parliament to do its utmost to put things right. The proposals mentioned above are the principal measures by which Mr Forbes hopes to be able to rectify the State’s adverse financial position; others are available and will have, no doubt, ample discussion. It is somewhat surprising that one large potential source of revenue has not fignred in the list—the plac'ng of all public body trading activities on a similar footing to private concerns. To compel these to bear the same taxation as private organisations would not in any way penalise them; it would merely rectify an injustice from which many traders, particularly gas companies, have suffered for years. The most unwelcome policy which a Government can adopt is one of retrenchment. It says much for the good sense of the people of New Zealand that they have readily recognised that no other policy is possible and that in general they are prepared to face the consequences, with no unnecessary complaint about injustice. That the Government’s burden should have been suddenly and cruelly increased by the Hawke’s Bay disaster, has increased the desire of the community to help in “putting its house in order.” It has certainly increased the necessity to do I so, for it has created an immediate need for money and in a sense has increased the country’s deficit. Mr Forbes may rely upon the cordial support of the business world. It has felt already to an extent which the people generally do not perhaps fully realise, the effect of those conditions which have now brought Parliament together. It knows what the remedy must be and is prepared to apply it, asking only that the distribution of the load shall be as equitable as possible. And there is now a glimmer of sunshine; the London wool sales have given a hint that a trade recovery may not be far away.