CONCERN FELT

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20844, 30 June 1939, Page 8

CONCERN FELT

DOMINION’S FINANCES HON. A. HAMILTON’S ATTACK (By Telegraph.—Special to Time*) WELLINGTON, Thursday Expressing concern at the trend of events, the Leader of the Opposition, the lion. A. Hamilton, criticised the Government's financial policy in opening the debate on the Imprest S.upply Bill to-day. The Minister of Finance, Mr Hamilton said, had gone to London on a very serious mission. The Government should have had an abundance of money without having to go cap in hand to other people and ask for help. During the Government's past three years of office export values had reached record figures, averaging £60,000,000 a year. Any Government unable to manage New Zealand successfully on the money that had been available should vacate office and let someone capable of running the country properly take charge. Discussing the import restrictions, Mr Hamilton said he wondered if they were to be temporary or permanent. The Minister of Finance had stated that they were to be temporary; but the Prime Minister had made the state - ment that they were part of the Government's policy and to he permanent. “How cun people be expected to trade under circumstances such as these?” asked Mr Hamilton. “The restrictions wiped out businesses overnight without any consideration or compensation. Such interference has never been experienced in any British country in history and we are beginning to realise now what British freedom and liberty means. When our liberty has been curtailed we begin to realise the necessity for defending the freedom we have previously enjoyed throughout the history of this country.

“We have lost our good name and seriously disturbed our goodwill in Great Britain,” Mr Hamilton continued. “We have no right to ask to be allowed to sell all our produce in the British market and at the same time tell Britain what she can sell here. We cannot have one-way trade.”