UNPLEASANT JOB

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 220, 17 September 1934, Page 8

UNPLEASANT JOB

MR. FORBES GN FINANCE OPTIMISM FOR THE FUTURE. I Ter Press Association. J CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 15. An optimistic view of the future financial position of the Dominion was taken by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) in an address at the annual Association Day smoke concert of the Christchurch Commercial Travellers’ Association. The last few years had been difficult for the Government, said Mr. Forbes. Before he occupied his present position te had thought the position of Prime Minister was pleasant. He had found, however, that the first things he had to do as Prime Minister were unpleasant. Faced with figures showing the financial position, he had found that unless certain things were done the count;v would get into a far worse state. He had said to himself, “You are not hero to receive bouquets, but to do your job. whether it is pleasant or unpleasant.” Many things he had done had caused dissent, he continued, but they had been (.one in an Loucm balief that they were for the good of the country. Instead of being faced with a Budget estimating for a deficit of nearly £B,000,<>70, the Budget, now estimated for a bUipltts of something like £BOOO. That was a tremendous difference. When lhe Coalition Government was faced with a deficit of £8,000,000 the Government did not attempt to make the finances balance, maintaining that in tne circumstances it should do the best it could and when the times im proved present a better Budget. “1 do not apologise for what, we had tn do,” said Mr. Forbes. “We did not make matters worse, and we have a right to be proud of that.” He declared that there was no clearer indication of the improved financial position of the country as a whole than that it had been possible to estimate for a surplus. He took credit for the Government for having restored partly the cut in Civil Service salaries and for reducing unemployment taxation.