PREMIER HOPEFUL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1929, Page 3

PREMIER HOPEFUL

RAILWAY REFORM PLAN. NATIONAL DEFICIT PROBLEM. .By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) MOTUEKA, May 23. At Moeueka to-day, the Prime Minister replying to a toast at a luncheon tendered him by the AVaimea Count} Cotuicil and the Motucka Borough Council, said he took an interest in matters affecting their locality and the country.

Referring to his own Parliamentary career, Sir Joseph AY’ard said: It was a long period to look back upon since 1887. The vicissitudes through which the country had passed had been great. He was qute sure that the general body of the people throughout New Zealand all took an intelligent part in many affairs that still required to be settled in the interests of the country as a whole. There were bound to be. changes in administration, but one thing to which there would be no ohnnge ivas the allegiance of this country to the Old Land as the head of a galaxy of young nations making up tlife British Empire. The coming session of Parliament would be full of interest to everyone in the country. They would be reconsidering the financial position of the country, and recasting it so that the balance would He on the right side. “That, I think, can be done without much trouble,” Said the Premier. “The settlers, the workers, the traders ,in fact no cine in the country would want the government to let the country drift. The deficit in the revenue for the Inst 12 months was £579,000, which was too large to let the finances remain in an uncertain position.

RAILWAY 7 REFORM. Regarding unemployment, the Premier said that lie was hopeful that die railway scheme, which the Government was asking Parliament to sanction, would provide work during the next three, four or five years. Parliament would be asked to review the whole position of the railways. There would have to be some change in the financial arrangement under which they were carried on. He hoped when Parliament met, to be in a position to announce some proposal to meet the position. Ac the present time, large sums were being paid out of tJie general revenue every year to make up the deficiencies. All of these occurred on the branch lines, and it would be unsatisfactory if the present system were allowed to be perpetrated. It made the railways’ earning power quite insufficient to meet the annual interest charges. It was vital that the railways should lie in a position to compete with the motor traffic. There was room for both systems of transport, he said, but not for two antagonistic concerns.

The prospects, as far as the year was concerned, looked hopeful to Sir Joseph. The balance of trade looked as though it would be in the Dominion’s favour. The country's general finances, however, were not so hopeful, hut the speaker would say, without any qualifications, that if the trade of the country was carried on successfully, there was no reason for anyone engaged in business, either .on the land or in the cities, to have any fear of the consequences.