IN LIQUIDATION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 26, 19 June 1939, Page 2

IN LIQUIDATION

NEW ZEALAND'S PLIGHT MR F. W. DOIDGE'S BELIEF THOUGHTS ON DEFENCE "Today New Zealand is in liquidation. We have put a receiver in upon ourselves," said Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P. in a pre-sessional address at the social tendered him at the Civic Theatre, Tauranga. ''In the Prime Minister's own words," continued the speaker, "the country is in 'a state of emergency.' That is a condition wc find ourselves in after three years of bounding prosperity. The State coffers are empty. The Government does not know which way t 0 turn for money. Our credit and our good name have been destroyed. Who in London or New York, who in Sydney or Melbourne, would acccpt a New Zcalard five pound note to.u&y? ''Even now the-position might be righted if the Government made frank confession of the failure of its policy to spend its way to admitted that the development of our primary industries must be it? first concern; that its persecution of capital is at an end; and tliait hence, forth the country will strive to Jive within its means. RESTORING CONFIDENCE "But the Prime Minister should go further than that, if he desires to restore confidence both at home and abroad.'' continued Mr Doidge. ''Mr Savage must know that there are many who are gravely mistrustful of his Govern men I, of its judgment and its ability. If, in the Prime Minister's own words, the country is in a state of emergency, why does Mr Savage not Isoldiy pursue a course which would go a long way towards restoring confidence and restoring the state of solvency. "Clearly our need is for experienced leaders. Lloyd George set. an example when Britain, was in a state of emergency. He took into his Government men who were not in Parliament, who had no knowledge of politics; but who were experts in business administration. To enable them to take portfolios he created them members of the Hou.se of Lords. ''If Mr Savage took a courageous decision to broaden the basis of Government in New Zealand he would at ■once enormously strengthen his posi_ . tion. If he called into his Cabinet six of the best business men in the Dominion he could set about the in;- ' mediate task of re.con.struction A?hile there is yet a prospect of success. He could give his new ministers the . necessary political status by appoint.

ing them to the Legislative Courcil. The Prime Minister is in the position—self created —of a gambler who is- about to make- a hist throw. Could he better than this?'' DEFENCE. "I am one of those who believe that the question, of dcfence should be kept free of party politics," said Mr Doidge, ''but it is a little difficult to do that when one finds a "Minister of the Crown exulting in the fact that lie refused to play his parr, in the last war, and fulminating against those who did so "war vultures." ''That particular Minister loses sight of the fact that there arc men sitting on the Government benches with him who did not share his views in 191-LIS, but on the contrary, fought bravely for their principles. "And it is evidently not k;town to that particular Minister th«S> Leader of tiic Labour Party in Britain, Major Atlee, ha,d a brilliant war •ecord, extending over three years. Wedgwood Benn, another outstanding member of the Labour Party at llome_ was likewise 4 a war hero. And what of a gre?t leader—and a great rebel —like William Redmond, who fought ?,nd died for his principles in the Great War? Were thej r all war vultures? EVENTS IN NEW ZEALAND. ''But we must -11 of us feel con. cerned at the trend of events in New Zealand at this time of world unve-t. It is clear from the utterances of the Prime Minister that he is fully alive to the need for New Zealand being as well prepared as other parts of the Empire in the event of war. But it must be clearly and painfully evident to the Government that its efforts to mobilise in New Zealand on a voluntary basis have failed. "Britain has tak-;n a bold course. To-day, in Britain, there are 200,000 homes in which boys between the V (Continued at foot of next column)

ages of 20 and 21 are getting ready to leave their occupations or their studies and start on six months' mili tarv training. Employers must k<vp their jobs open to them, and depend, cnts arc to receive subsistence allowances. ''It is a bold and unique policy that Britain pursues. Never before in her history has she done anything ol this kind. ALL, IN THE RANKS "Old traditions arc broken. In the past % it was open to the .Sons of rich men to go into cadet schools and mili tarv colleges, Avhilc the poor man's son went into the ranks. To-day they all go into the ranks together. "In New Zealand wr> do not want anything quite as far-reaching as this But wc do need universal military training. For those who have seen something of war know that it is madness to throw troops into action when they have nothing but courage to match a.ga ! nst the skilled soldiers of an enemy. - '