The Guardian And Evening Star, with winch is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1928. DAMAGED IDEALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with winch is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1928. DAMAGED IDEALS.

In the course of wliat was a well-pre-pared survey of politics in New Zealand and the text of which was well distributed to the metropolitan newspapers, the Minister of Finance when speaking at Dunedin last week, interalia, dealt at some length with the official Opposition in Parliament—the Labour party. He noted that the Labour Party seemed to have lost all its ideals and early enthusiasm and become a mere party of opportunism, continually recasting its platfonn in its endeavour to capture votes at any cost. I well remomlior, said Mr Stewart, that its early leaders were filled with apostolic fervour believing that the nationalisation of land and industry would solve the problem of poverty and all the other ills of society. But the actual experience of Labour rule in State after State in Australia has shown clearly that it can neither bring about a more equal distribution of wealth nor cure unemployment or poverty. Indeed some of these problems are far more acute ip (ho Labour

States of Australia than in New Zealand. .Moreover, experience shows that nationalised industries too often produce only deficits which mean adding to the burdens of the taxpayer. The profits which industry earned in private hands tend to disappear under me heavy hand of the State. Not only but the worker finds that under State ownership he has merely changed his status or conditions of work, while the capitalist who has been bought out with Government bonds enjoys a. secure and gauaranteed income without the risk and anxiety of managing private enterprise. It is not to he wondered at, then, that the Labour movement lias been disillusioned. It finds that its idol of nationalisation has feet of clay, and that it is necessary to quietly discard its most treasured <1 reams if it desires to make political headway, and if a creeping paralysis is not to spread over all enterprise and development. Hence the constant annual revision of its land policy, the conflicting views of its members on national defence, its hesitancy on tariff questions, and its deplorable and sue(cssful attempt for political reasons, to double our difficulties in ..Samoa. I hear from, timo to time, concluded V .Stewart, of people who are inclined to try the Labour Party by way of a change. But unless it he true that each country must buy its politi experience at (ir.st hand I find it difficult to believe that the electors of New Zealand will not profit by the lessons of Labour profligacy and extravagance with consequent high taxation and low credit; where Ln'miir rules. This belief is emphasised the more just now when the party lately returned to power in New ~Souh AYulos has to handle the legacy of public debt left by (lie Lang Labour Government. It is proposed to cover the deficit left by the extravagance of the late adminislrnion, by another loan. That is rather a convenient way of disposing of a debt, hut it is an expensive way, and the incurring of an annual increase in the taxation. Speaking in Sydney last week, the Assistant-Treasurer. Mr ]>. S. Stevens, announced that there would lie no increase in taxation this year. The Government intends at the end ol the present financial year that the defieit left by Ihe Lang Government will he funded, which means that a loan will he taken out In cover the deficit, the liability to he spread over a period of years. It, is intended in I lie new financial year to alter the incidence ol taxation. Jlives! iga.l ions are now being made in this direction. An effort will also Iso made by the Government to reduce expenditure ami bring about economies, hut not at. the expense of efficiency. This example of the effect of Labour Government is quite apropos to Mr Stewart's comment, and is a reminder to the Dominion electors of what might lie their late should they he l disposed to ‘'experiment'' with an administration under Labour rule. The country cannot affortl to experiment, least of nil with in licit of the idealist legislation Labour from time to time seems to favour so strongly. It seems to he the object of I ahour rule not to insist, in the pm. duetion of wealth, hut to dissipate it. and so we find that problems hero acute as they are, are more acute in the Lnltour States of the Commonwealth. The communistic spirit is much in the same plight as Labour aims, indeed one lias been dependent largely on the other for its political ideals. In Russia we have seen how enterprise and development have been stifled, and there is the swing now towards the old order. So with many of the treasured dreams of Labour, an act of tlie legislature is not in itself enough to create a new condition of nf? airs, and those who would mould on j fantastic lines are finding their mislake. The solid, plodding party is the soundest and best, and that can ho measured by the record of legislation over the last half conturv in New Zealand. '