The Grey River Argus MONDAY, May 31, 1943. HOME FRONT.

Grey River Argus, 31 May 1943, Page 4

The Grey River Argus MONDAY, May 31, 1943. HOME FRONT.

Despite forecasts that _ direct taxation is unlikely to be much increased, the Budget is awaited with some concern by the public, it having been hinted that commodities in general, use by _ the workers ■which already are highly taxed are likely to be still more highly taxed. It is noteworthy in the preliminary review of the public Accounts, last week published, that expenditure out of the War Expenses Account during the past year exceeded the estimate by eleven millions, and that the excess was due not to military, but ■ to economic . expenditure. Of this four millions consisted of subsidies paid producers or vendors of goods and. services for the purpose of keeping stable the prices of those goods and services. With, this there can be no complaint, as the effect must, be to. lessen the hardship of tho,se finding Avar time prices more or less of a handicap and to distribute the burden more evenly through the whole community. The other seven, millions was laid out in making provision. for the United States forces. It is thus manifest that the call on account of those forces proved markedly greater than the Government at the start of the financial year had bargained for. The question therefore arises as to whether the Government on this occasion will be able to formulate a more accurate estimate. It is officially acknowledged that the course of Avar .in the Pacific is difficult to forecast. That the Allied position earlier had been decidedly more dangerous in. this theatre than the authorities had allowed the public to guess is becoming evident from disclosures being made at present. Nor is there absolute certainty that the enemy may not yet become even to New Zealand a greater menace than previously His biggest submarine, fleet is iioav reported to be en route for the South Pacific, to intensify attacks upon ,'shipping. Presumably the Allies Avill again find means of coping with the enemy as they so far have done so successfully, hut the indications remain as strong as over that in the Pacific we are faced Avith a long Avar. With the assistance of the United States, the Japanese have certainly been driven from Papua and Guadalcanal', repelling their only considerable threat heretofore to the shores of Australia. But it is taking a. long time to oust the enemy, and at the current rate danger, if not on the sea front, at least on the home front,- —that of production —is a very real possibility. Farmers. for instance, say they are uncertain of their ability, under existing conditions, to meet Avar requirements. If, therefore, the question arises of our ability both to stabilise internal prices and supplies and to meet such increase. of lease-lend demands as prolonged warfare must entail, the Government must carefully discharge its duty as a referee between those making demands for the war front and those making demands for the home front It begins to appear that as a food producing country. New Zealand can le*ss and less afford to underman the home front. The prim-

ary producers arc pretty .good udges of the fundamental needs of the home front, whilst in some forms of secondary industry responsible for the supply of every day needs it would be a serious mistake to lessen any further the supply of essential labour. There is to be a resumption of housing construction, which doubtless is timely, but at least equally urgent is an increase in the food output. It is to maintain the morale and stamina of the nation, and necessary labour must be retained to meet at least public demands which, whether some are by a minority, considered secondary, or merely luxury, are neventheless advisable to uphold morale. The present policy might be ideal if it were certain that the war would end in a year, but if it is destined to continue for several years, readjustments cannot lengthly be postponed.