BRITAIN’S BURDEN

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1928, Page 1

BRITAIN’S BURDEN

CRITICISED BY LLOYD GEORGE. (Australian it N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Fob. 14. Mr E. A. Harney, K.O. moving the Liberal amendment, described file Government’s policy as one of “Trust in God and dm nothing.” Everything else could wait, hut young women must have the vote. The Government, instead of spending money to relieve unemployment, had gone to the opposite extreme. Mr Churchill last year raised a road fund to the extent of twenty millions sterling, which would have given steady occupation to 130.000 men for a year. The. Poor Law system was breaking down in the black areas. Fifty millions out of 150 millions were paid from the rates. Unemployment ought to ho made- a national burden. Mr Lloyd George accused Air Baldwin of not facing the laets about the trade situation, and not even mentioning agriculture Tf Britain’s export trade bad made the same progress since tbe war as it did from 1000 (o 1913. the present export quantities would ho 130 per cent:. of the 1013 figures, hut they wore actually only eighty per cent. Before the "War Britain advanced from two to three linn-, dred millions sterling yearly to the Dominions, Colonies? and foreign counrics, which came pack in the shape of purchases of goods). The United States was now making Itfenuf and taking corresponding sharewnf orders. The situation was not iffipparable. The first need was a sort ft if economic general staff to investigate trade problems as a whole. Tnriustitv must be partially relieved front tbe crippling burden of rates. and agricultural production must be increased, because foodstuffs that, could be produced at homo were now one of Britain’s largest import items. Mr Churchill characterised Air Lloyd George’s speech as the marshalling of admitted disquieting facts; then recommending as a remedy the Liberal Party’s recent yellow lxtok on industry. The Government throughout its existence had contributed to the relic! of local burdens' to an extent never hitherto witnessed. Moreover under tjiy heads of old age. widows’ and orphans’ pensions, education and health services and housing, it had provided seventeen millions sterling yearly, which was not provided when it took office. Regarding relief of rates, everything depended upon the state of the finances tit budget time. The Go.vernment had a. series of legislative and administrative propositions prepared, hut believed it would be tietter to wait to operate them them till they could bo used as a lever, not as a stop. The amendment was defeated by 310 to 140 and the address-in-reply was adopted.