WANTED-A LEAD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 138, 9 December 1930, Page 7

WANTED-A LEAD

ECONOMIC PROBLEM

"PARTIES SHOULD UNITE"

SIR 7 j. GFUNSOFS VIEW

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, Bth December. ' A suggestion that the. three main partie£.in the New Zealand Parliament —United; Beform, and Labour—should join forces to meet the present adverse conditions was made by Sir James Gunson" in reviewing tho economic situation and forecasting the prospects of ttte Dominion. During the past fortnightt Sir James has visited the chief centres "of .the country. " Orie^.cannot but be impressed with the economic difficulties that are quickly and adversely developing," said Sir James,'. .'' These developments arise from Causes in part beyond local control, and are due to the greatly lessened income of the country, with a consequent .diminishing spending power of a ]arge: section of the community. All classes of our national and domestic life are involved or will shortly be un ? favourably affected by the conditions, •which' have already reached a point ■which should be regarded as a na-' tional '. emergency. .-..■. "There are three main factors in the situation, from all of which quarters prompt and effective organisation and sacrifices are essential in the hour of the country's need," continued Sir James. "All should share in the effort —all capital and labour and industry Tinder a co-ordinated and definite policy should offer this quota. > They 'are: (1) #arliament, which is the paramount authority and from which the chief direction must emanate; (2) "the producers and the traders, those on tho land and those in manufacturing and marketing; and (3ythe employees—all workers in New .Zealand. ' , LEAD FROM PARLIAMENT. '' Parliament must lead the country; it alone has "the authority,' without which aiothing sufficient can be accomplished. rJhe life- of the present Parliament should ■• be extended two ■ years. The three.parties should join, forces 'with equal representation in the Cabinet. If the Labour Party refused to join, then the two remaining parties should merge at once on equal terms. "This does not mean political fusion as ordinarily discussed, but tho merging of the Parliamentary forces of the country to meet the very serious situation which is developing;" said Sir .Tames Gunson. "All questions of: past 'Administrations and of their failings should be forgotten and the situation. dealt*with iiow in the interests of the country alone, as the Dominion will be in no'jnood next year to listen to political, party squabbles. "There should be an immediate resumption of borrowing in. London for approved productive works to be undertaken at once. Unless this were done unemployment and industrial difficulties would quickly further develop. National borrowing was essential m times of detn-ession to tide the country over its difficulties." . • . , Sir Raines calls for an immediate fcalantinjr of the Budget, as •position is causing concern. The Arbitration1 Act should be suspended for two year's, with a definite understanding that it be restored at the end_ of that period .on a new economic Tjasis.