CAN THEY AFFORD IT ?

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 36, 11 August 1936, Page 8

CAN THEY AFFORD IT ?

Budgeting about the same time, the Labour-supported Country Party Government in Victoria reduced taxation, including a super-tax on land, while the New Zealand Labour Government did the reverse.' The future fates of Country arid Labour political forces and their future alignment (if any) are as interesting in Victoria as in New Zealand. A recent writer on the Victorian situation doubts whether Labour, essentially a fighting and propagandist party, can afford indefinitely to continue the negative role of keeping a non-Labour Country Party in office merely to keep a non-Labour United Australia party out. i. The question whether Victorian Labour can "afford", to be the lifeline of a moderate Country Party Government is certainly important. But still more important— at any rate to New-Zealand—is tlie question whether Country voters can "afford" to supply the votes for a very "advanced" Labour Government. How much can the Country voter in New Zealand "afford"? He can "afford" to be subsidised in butter prices by the Government' (if the butter plan is going to work out that way). But could he "afford" some form of price stabilisation which treats him no better than the market would treat him, and could he "afford" to buy such State pricecontrol at a costs-increase exceeding his price-increase? The Country voter is now likely to look carefully into the mouth of price-control, ■labour costs, anti-speculation measures, and similar gift-horses. He will not be sustained by the mere fact that the payer of income tax in the city middle classes has become relatively worse off. The political stirrup-holder (in Victoria, Labour; in New Zealand, the Country voter) must certainly consider what his job ;is worth and what he can "afford."