The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 17th, 1928. CALM CONFIDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 17th, 1928. CALM CONFIDENCE.

Tim short session ol Parliament which clo-cd on Friday, revealed the cairn conlidenci* and capable control with which Sir Joseph Ward led the House. This is indicative of his statesmanlike qualities in emerpen y. • and it redounds greatly In his credit and tin* 1 • future success of the United Party that ; it is so. The United Parly as returned i to Parliament is admittedly a din- c line live aggregation of iudivd utils wlu> I have .impressed tin* public with their \ promising ability. The Ministers sc- t looted from this band are bent on pro- : gressive legislation, it is conceded also, t constitute a strong Cabinet, including s

mrii of proved ability and onthi:.si:>si::. lieeau.se of this inliereiit strength a great deal will lie expected of tinParty, uotwith,sanding that in uuinefieal strength in the House it is in a minority if the opposing Parties ■•nmhined on any issue against it. Still, we have to remember that .Mr Coates has intimated in a very frank way that the Reform Party is prepared i the interests of the country to give tie turned policy a fair run. Imbonr. on the other hand has restricted its tolerance to legislation onl v suiting tin policy of that Party, which in the main is of a class character, where it is not socialistic or extreme. However. notwith,sanding .Air Coates’ frank offer, lie has since* been heard in captious criticism of Sir Joseph Ward's policy, and on that account the sutuntion is always more or less nroeat bur while Parliament is in session. The recent meeting of members was negoiia tod safely, the Prime Minister liein(piite definite in his policy explain) tion.s and replies a.s to questions. Tim Government now has the long recess t< formulate its genera:] policy and initiate the special works, for which, during the brief session, it received an - Iboriiy. Judging by the remarks r; the House on Friday, for Joseph, since going into linanccs, appears to have found some cheek to the financial proposals he put before the country. It has been suggested that this cheek arises through the large sains of loan monies maturing in tin* near future, strange hut nevertheless true that, more was not made of this point during the recent political sampaign. Then* are rocks ahead in regard to repayment or reii'liustnicer. of loan funds amounting 1.0 many millions, and the Minister of Finance- of any Ministry lias a difiicuil task before him to moot, the necessary adinslmenl of oar credit in a manner safe and sound for the linaneia' standing of {lie Oomininu. According to the latest Year Pool;, here are total of the nut Mi ri i g loans during Lite life of the nre'wnt Parliament, assuming that it runs for three years as usual:I!)-.'!) £i -1.1 7:*.870 in: to -i:u:do'.«o9 in:’,l i'ola! 7b, I 72,1d0 Sneb a sum as Sir Joseph's seventy millions of new -nenmv snread over a limited period, is loss magnified in eomoa-’-i'on uilh dm foregoing, and is an indicat-iou ol where llelonn [ina-ime was drilling. It will Im a considerable task for Sir Joseph to extricate the finances involved in the issue as r seo.ns to present itself, and there is all lhe more- reason therefore why Poll.mi should lie glad Sir Joseph is at the Imlm for the task and should lend its aid in flic fullest to assist tin* Government It is essential lor the good name of Yew Zealand that the linauiin I hurdle ahead (apart from any policy for new work) should have the mo t competent handling, and from a patriotic point of view it is up to Reform to assist to the fullest extent of its voting power to give the new Government clear support in its policy loading up to the liquidation of its accruing debt without injury to the credit a.nd trading of the country. It appears to be of paramount importance at tliis juncture that e-ir Jn-oph Ward dinuiii have the opportunity ol controlling the financial affairs ol the country, and [late appears to iliave served .Yew Zealand a verv good tun by causing events so to fall out that at such a time of pressing need there is a, statesman of Sir Joseph Ward’s abilty at hand to take up the very responsible and difficult task tbe eeur.se of events under Reform administration lias brought to pass, calling for immediate attention.