MR HOLLAND'S GOOD NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19457, 22 December 1934, Page 9

MR HOLLAND'S GOOD NEWS.

(To llic Editor.) Sir.- —-A few days ago Mr H. Holland, M.P. for Christchurch North, handed out on the Government's behalf some “good news" statistics which may be regarded as a sample of Hie prospective electioneering propaganda for the benefit of the present politicians in power. Mr Holland serves up 17 items for flic politically simple minded ilo accept in the full assurance dial the members of Hie ('.on 1 i I ion Government have been the miracle-working benefactors in those 17 directions. Tile key Items, If we wish to

analyse IMs “8»od *g Vmind ill the amount of mcieasc i ex oils (£11,500,000) and impoib drastically £4,000,000). This gives us i au increased favourable balance o trade of £7,500,000, and combined, an « -of trade * *15,500, 000; In, why give the Government the ctedit f or 'this good balance or for the in creased total? Mr Holland does nol do so—at least in.the report ol lus address —but Lho implication is tlieio, and the Government candidates ill not be slow at election lime l « these "good news" figures as plausible propaganda for the continuance of the Government in office. At any iate, it hardly needs saying that the enhanced price for wool, etc now on the wane) is the main lactoi m the favourable balance of trade, and the Government has absolutely nothing to do with it. The sequel to such a favourable balance is obvious; It would naturally follow the rest ol Mr Holland’s “good news” items. We could quite expect, for instance, increased sales of motor ears and trucks, tower unemployed, greater banking lurnoeci, higher share values of linns benefiting h v the windfall, more marriages 01 those whose employment seems more assured, greater factory production and importation to meet the increased temporary demands. Obviously increased Customs duties on the added volume of imports and sales lax returns would increase with Hie larger sales of local and . Imported goods. More land transactions and mortgage business would be a natural accompaniment of increased marriage, and lln' lu'llered conditions ol Hie nt’iinars ; producers, plus the result of much; selling uu of Hie liuuelesslv involved

through the appearance of now and i better prospects on the horizon. Beer \ duty would go up with the increased . cash in the pockets of the thirsty, and Increased sales of property and mortgage registrations would be but some of Llie things which would inevitably increase stamp duty receipts. With regard to increased death duties, if it is a felicitous gain that moro moneyed people died during the period in question, an' M.P. can find more satisfaction in it perhaps than the bereaved who inherit the balance of the estate. Income tax would naturally increase under the windfall conditions represented by the favourable balance of trade.

But after the above mentioned glowing recital of “good news’’ there is Mr Holland’s big “if,” about which an important Government, depending for its success on mere accidents of external trade, can give us no assurance whatever. Mr Holland tells us that “if" these figures are maintained New Zealand can be assured of a happy and prosperous Christmas. What utter blind futility, dispensed to the unthinking, in the fact of hard facts to I lie contrary all around ns. We still have about tiO.OOO unemployed with oilier untold thousands on llie bread line', which Hie lax-ridden of all classes are only able to provide for on n level Ilial is a disgrace to a British community living in (lie midst of a lanlalisimr abundance. We are still struggling wild wage cnls, increased income lax, high exchange, sales lax. a miserly education system, llie grave menace of quotas, widespread imverly. and mallUitrilion of a multitude uf the all 100 shabbily dressed and shod who de-

serve a better fate. Thousands of firms are still unable to pay a dividend to other thousands of needy and mostly elderly folk who have sunk their all in one-time profitable shares; unfinished railway lines lie busting away, while men are given timewasting forms of .relief Work which sap their enthusiasm and self-respect. We will need “good news" of more consequence if we are to enthrone once more a bungling Government as our benefactors during another term of - office. The public lias most likely sized this Government up already as “on Its way out.” —I am. etc.. A. J. LILLEY. Claudelands, December 20. 1934.