WHY THE SILENCE?

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20783, 18 April 1939, Page 9

WHY THE SILENCE?

FINANCIAL POLICY FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTIES MR HAMILTON’S QUESTIONS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) INVERCARGILL, Monday ‘‘Apparently the Labour Government is not prepared to make a public statement aoout its future financial policy,” said the Leader of the upposition, the lion. A. Hamilton, in a statement to-day. "The Labour Ministers are usually quick with their statements in reply to criticism of particular administration, although sometimes exhibiting a lack of courtesy and frankness that is becoming a by-word in politics to-day. That makes the silence in this particular instance significant.”

Mr Hamilton said it was particularly significant that no statement was made by either Mr Nash or Mr Savage in reply to his statement concerning the financial situation before the beginning of the annual conference of the Labour Party. Also did nut Mr Nash and Air Savage lake the conference into their confidence as to the measures that would have to be adopted to meet the present crisis? Did they think it best to get the con- | ference difficulties over first and then talk details of financial stringency after it had dispersed? "We have had experience of the last election, when the true state of affairs was withheld and may therefore be excused for wondering,” said Mr Hamilton. "Mr Nash must deal with tlie public accounts at an early date, and it is to he hoped that now that the immediate hurdle of conference criticism lias passed he will get down to plain facts with the people. There is no justification for withholding a full explanation of financial policy until the Budget is brought down. Figures Analysed “Not only is the present financial situation tense, but with the prospect of deficit budgeting in the immediate future, the whole community must be concerned as to the length of time that the present emergency conditions of control and confusion will continue.” Mr Hamilton said a deficiency of £2,000,000 for the present financial year had been estimated by Mr Nash when recently introducing ” the social security scheme. Expenditure on defence to be in line with expansion in other parts of the British Empire must increase substantially. Full provision for unemployment had disappeared since April 1, and instead of more than £5,000,000 being available, there would be merely £1,500,000 for sustenance. Mr Langstone had already made a request for £2,000,000 to provide for the employment of Maoris in the year following the abolition of the Employment Fund. Overseas Loan? ‘‘All these considerations and more cannot be lightly brushed aside, and I repeat that in failing to make any specific statement to the people concerning all these known facts the Government is neglecting its first duty,” continued Mr Hamilton. ‘‘Mr Savage and Mr Nash in their announced insulation methods ha\e made it clear that they have manipulative power with money unknown to the rest of the world. In actual fact this has Just been propaganda talk. The courses open to them to-day have no connection with ‘easy money’ and something for nothing talk. Of those courses it would not be surprising to see a volte face of Mr Savage seeking a loan overseas, and the course taken regarding rates of interest, even internally, since they have already been broken from the porged level for overseas borrowing, will be a real revelation of how Labour talk measures up to Labour action.”