PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1928, Page 1

PRESS COMMENTS.

There is as yet no comprehensive national scheme of giving 'finality to the production of work for men who aro willing to earn their bread, for men who are being disheartened and demoralised because of chronic dependence on charitable soup-kitchens, and institutional doss-houses. It is the duty of legislators to seek practical remedies and aids to a cure of industrial disease instead of flippantly contrasting New Zealand conditions with allegedly worse circumstances in other and older lands.—Auckland “Sun.”

Australia’ is for various reasons far hotter equipped for the development of her secondary industries than the Dominion is, yet she will long remain a country chiefly agricultural and pastoral. For a still longer period New Zealand must depend for her prosperity on the output of the land. It is in one sense true, of course, that the “internal trade” of the Dominion is “the means by which most of Uj3 live,” hut it is only indirectly that most of us look for our Tiving to urban occupations. The foundation of all the national activity, and the true source of life for almost everyone, are the pasture and the plough.—Christchurch “Press.”

The power education hoards had before was certainly narrow, and capable at any time of being made narrower, hut it was at least a useful discretionary power so long as the Department could be counted on to act with fairness and common sense. The new regulations, added to the Department’s contempt for the principles of fairness' and common sense, will reduce the hoards to rubber stamps and it would not lie very creditable to them if they submitted tamely. We are glad that tho Wellington hoard will have the assistance of the hoards in Canterbury and Otago in its fight for reasonable liberty of action.—Christchurch “Press.”

It is the business of Parliament to legislate and, to the extent to which it seeks to shuffle out of its responsibilities, to that extent it proclaims its unfitness to discharge the duties it has undertaken to perform. No public sympathy is merited, therefore, by the suggestion that Parliament should be permitted to evade its responsibility on the licensing question and to throw back on the electors the onus of deciding, by their own vote, the question of tho majority that should he necessary to make a declaration in favour of prohibition effective and tho question of tflo time that should elapse between tl'e prohibition polls.— "Otago Daily Times.”

It can justly be argued that if it he right to mark and grade produce for export, it is equally necessary to do so for the home trade. It will”ho noticed that emphasis was laid by the British Minister upon the fart that, the reason why overseas produce was favoured was by reason of its uniformity of quality, reliability of supply and its standardised packing. There can be no question as to the marketing of agricultural produce being of prime importance,, only exceeded by that of grading. The probability is that if grading and marking are carried out generally at Home, it will tend to foster a raising of the value of imported produce of . tliej .highest quality and that is where ~the producers of the Dominion* shpuldi reap the .reward due to their efforts to top the market.— “Taranaki Daily News.”

To some of the members of the Labour Party in New Zealand the idea of Empire itself is anathema, and any proposal that can lie described as Imperialistic receives on that ground prompt condemnation by them. But the outlook of persons who subscribe to a view of this description is shortsighted and foolish to a degree. They would have this Dominion endeavour to live for itself alone, although that would lro the best way of condemning it to a non-progressive and distinctly uncertain future. This is precisely what Mr Ramsay MacDonald aptly characterises as a negative policy of selfishness. It is satisfactory to think that the British Commonwealth Labour Conference is not likely to exhibit much patience with such lack of vision, such narrowness of outlook, and such inability to realise what the well-being of the Empire ns a whole means to its various constitouut parts. —“Otago Daily Times.?

The reduction in the overdraft rate, as Sir George Elliot observed, does not make a material difference to individual clients of the banks, hut is. of substantial importance to the country as marking the withdrawal of a rate that was imposed in exceptional circumstances, and as a. definite pronouncement by the most authoritativo opinion that the country has advanced so far beyond the abnormal state of commercial and industrial depression that the outlook may be regarded with equanimity and confidence. Tt does not sanction recklessness, but it does warrant intelligent optimism and prudent enterprise. Thus, the reduction of the bank rate is calculated to give a welcome stimulus to trade in all its aspects, and with such buoyancy, sustained by a stable monetary condition, there should quickly be apparent an amelioration of tile unemployment which now remains the only disturbing element in the Dominion’s situation. As a confirmation of the country’s return to greater economic activity, the banks’ decision should be welcomed and appreciated throughout the Dominion.—“ New Zealand Herald.”

The effect of the bank rate reduction in making lighter the burden of overdrafts may easily be exaggerated. An individual or a firm in a really desperate position will not be greatly assisted by a reduction of otte-half per cent. The rate, however, affects money rates generally, including the charges for mortgage money. It is significant that the improvement in the bunking position has coincided with an improvement in the teal estate market. The reduction is both a sign of returning confidence and an assistance to the community in establishing that confidence. It has been remarked lately that business activity in the Dominion has not kept pace with improvement in the balance between exports and' imports, and it lias looked as if the money to send business forward was there but confidence to uso it was lacking. By making money a little cheaper the banks encourage the spirit of enterprise that is needed. Coming in the middle of winter, when unemployment is at its worst, this encouragement is doubly welcome..—Auckland “Star.”

Britain is not exhausted as a market and the Dairy Board knows that the * money it. speeds in. advertising the

Dominion’s produce is substantially subsidised through the Empire Marketing Board’s operations, and through the Imperial Government’s persistence in encouraging the doctrine of trade within the Empire. In no other market can these favourable conditions be found, and so extension in Britain offers the most promising line of progress. People who are prone to believe that the Dairy Board serves no useful purpose because it no longer enjoys compulsory control, should study the position in the Old Country, for then they will find that the advertising expenditure promoted by the board is finding “new” markets, in places where the profitable exploitation of the field is most positively encouraged. “Southland Times.’-’