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Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1925, Page 2

Tile; speech of the Governor-General with which Parliament was opened yesterday. referred (as was to he expcetedl in appropriate terms to the demise of the late Prime Mini-Lcr. The outline pt legislation by his l-.xeellcnry which is to be prc.-ciiioil by bis advisers. covers a go,,d deal of necessary ground. For tbe policy of the Governno nl "e must wait tor the Public Works anti Financial Statement. lon these dot iimelil.s will not be readv lor some lime. Policy matters, we may l.e sure, are ill abeyance till the fusion issue is disposed of. Ibis is the t titslnniling question at the mnMicni. Reports will be before the /'uncus ine'dings of tbe respective pur lie.-, and it del.Olds on the decision ill those quarters what real advance is made. The quid mines are | retlit ting that there wiil not he am immediate insioii. But il would appear that lnsiou is ill lie air. Tin- press gemtally has 1 a cored ii. though some domitiat.i new -papers have expressed npp. -ii i..!•. The public who have cared t.i ,*xp: ss an .pillion, mostly support The I. a del - - of Ihe parties, ex.epi :,,r Mr Wil fold's -tr.-iight-for-ward do-da rati, m on the .'iibirrt. are ret i flit . S lII.' 11. doril! 11l Old.el's have been speaking on the matter with their l oigim in th-ii cheek, ai raid they might say too miit-li. 101 l always reedy in hale a line of sale ret real. Naturally there i- not any reference to the matter in the Speech. Our view F that Ihe whole situation is largely in the hands ol the Prime Minister. If Ml- Coates were prepared to give a definite h-a I and lain- the people as a vt pole into Ins e. 11 tide ii cc. lit- would have the public with bun. Really il is will, the peo|!e the decision rests, ami winning their eutilidem-c now by genuine act ion is the best means of securing unanimity. Ibe door stands open for the two parties to meet on a common ground. It is for the lenders to seta that, njqioriiiuity and make the ,m-Ml of it. Missing it they will lose

au opportunity that, never can return again in so iavol'ahle a light as at present. As regards finance, the Speech refers to the surplus, and the qualified sic ccss of the late loan. There is a Suggest ion ol a raid oil the sinking funds hoarding up lor the extinguishment ol the national debt. It i.s too soon to pass judgment on the proposal till tin* details are available, but it would appear other avenues lor obtaining ready money not being open, other means must be found, and the use of the sinking funds, apparently by wav of temporary loan, will be one wav of surmounting the financial difficulties of the times. However. I tiller particulars will he given later, and till then judgment .should not. be premature.