ECONOMIC CONTROL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 81, 22 April 1937, Page 4

ECONOMIC CONTROL

The people of this countty are very much more indebted than as yet thSy caa understand to those members of Barlianlent who, laying aside thejr own personal intereBts and without f ee or reward, have been visifing us with the purpose of arousing somo thought for the economic dangers involved in our present Government 's policy. As men for long in close contact with the affairs of the State, they are very much better qualified than iuost to afford us somo insight into the way in which they are now being handled and into the conBequencies that are in the end likely to f ollow. As things are running at present all may seem to be going well with us, but by those of tho broader and longer outlook it is at one.es recognised that the Beenxing prosperity we are at the inoinent enjoying is very largeiy of artificial cxeation, so far as internal conditions are coneerned. To those who caro to examine facts ifc will be only too apparent that it is mainly due to extravagant expenditure at the risk of the taxpayers that has as yet no possible justif ictation " in any additions to the national income. So far the Labour Government has talked largeiy of "spending power" but has done little or nothing to show us the Way to a compensating increased earning power, taking the community all round. In his address at Waipukurau Mr. Bodkin made some endeavour to open our eyes to the ultimate objects the. Government has in view and towards which those who care to use their intelligence must see fresh steps taken almost daily. Every movement is in the direction of the Government assuming arbitrary control of all means of production, (Retribution and .exchange, the goal which the recent Labour Conference at Wellington reaffirmed as its ultimate objective. And it is not to be forgotten that, according to the Labour Party's Constitution, it is the conference executive that is in the position to dietate the policy of Labour's representatives in Parliament. How much greater its power will be when the newly constituted Federation of Trade Unions attains full strength may be readily imagined. As Mr. Bodkin has said, so far as the economic control of the country is concerned, our Government. is steadily, i£ insidiously, moving towards the position which declaredly CommunistT Governments have elsewhore achieved.