Public Opinion INSULATING NEW ZEALAND

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 256, 28 October 1937, Page 9

Public Opinion

INSULATING NEW ZEALAND

Sir,—lf your scare leader in Monday's issue had come over the air, anyone listening-in could have been excused if they thought it was delivered by a member of the Opposition. Your construction of what Mi Nash said, about “insulating” New Zealand against the effects of a depression seems to me just another instalment of the “No Savvy” policy. The Government have no intention ot ever restricting the flow of exports; they will do all they can to increase them. On the other hand, they wih restrict imports according to the amount of funds available overseas after the interest on our debts has been paid. The plan they mean to adopt in the event of a depression fs simply what a man who had a garden, but did not use it, would adopt if he saw the day coming when he would have no money to buy vegetables. He would begin to grow his own. We have the material and the labour to convert it into the required goods. One object of the industrial survey is to find out the things we can most economically produce and group them in that order. When this depression hoves in sight they will prohibit the importation of goods in group No. 1. We will make them here. If necessary group No. 2 will then be taken and so on. Money will be issued to equate this production. The Government has never said that New Zeeland would escape, altogether, the effects of a depression overseas. What they do say is that they will insulate it, as far as possible, from the effects. It may be that the importation of luxuries may have to be prohibited. It may also be that there will be no funds made available overseas for those who contemplate taking a pleasure trip abroad. This, however, will only be a hardship on a very small percentage of our people. I would be pleased, sir, if you or anyone else, can give any sane reason why we should go short of anything we can produce in this country, no matter what the conditions may be overseas. Even the most ignorant savages would not have gone short when plenty was available as we did during the last depression.—l am, etc., “SAVVY.”