The Guardian And Evening Star, with winch in incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPT. 22, 1930.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with winch in incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPT. 22, 1930.

THE ONLY WAY. / The practice of broadcasting important political speeches in Australia must, have brought t many additional hundreds, the address of Premier Bavin oi New South Wales on Friday night, when his pre-election statement to his constituents and the State at large was delivered and broadcast by wireless. The speech was put on the pir per medium of the principal Sydney station, and the result was that the Premier’s speech was heard far beyond the conlines of Australian The* speech came through very clearly to New Zealand, and it was possible for ■ lisieners’-in to hear every word of what proved to be a very line speech. Mr Bavin is n speaker without frills or affectation. He speakb rapidly, but clearly and with the necessary emphasis. He uses few unnecessary word's, and hard ly repeats himself, excepting to emphasise a special poiiit. The result was that he covered a great amount oi ground in the hour and a half Ins speech occupied, and every moment ol it was engrossing, The Australian financial crisis is at a vpry critical stage indeed. Last month the Premiers were face to face with stern realities. They hod to agree to balance their Budgets for the current financial year ending next June, or find the banks unable to honour their cheques. That meant a state of insolvency and a complete wrecking of the financial fortures of the country. Great as would be the national fall it would be magnified tre-, mendously by the collapse of individual industries and .firms, find in a word there would be financial chaos. It was Mr Bavin’s task on Thursday night last to reveal the position, and he did in clear-cut sentences, which could be understood by all Who heard his spirited address. The Premiers’ .Conference at Melbourne last month definitely pledged the States to the resolution to balance budgets, This means a radical overhaul of both revenue and expenditure, and is the only way to meet the obligations before them,. By the action proposed the position for the time being is eased, but the year will n°t solve the whole problem, It is only a beginning of a period of ordered finance whereby confidence will be restored, and Australia thereafter nmy pursue the even tenor of he,r way on moro sober and sane lines than in the past. The gathering together of the Premiers of the States was the organisation of the national resources into one complete whole to meet a- desperate position. Just as the Commonwealth was united in war tjme for the benefit of national safety so at the present juncture "'fiel l there was dire financial peril, the same national co-ordination of effort was to be made. There was not much that Mr Bavin could tell the electors as to n policy. He could not talk of proprestive public works, for the money was not there, but he could, and did, offer a sound line of action in regard to flip public administration, cfippkipg wpsfi? and extravagance, and providing thp most favourable consideration of the economic conditions, so as t’o assist industry and internal development for the relief of unemployment. Mr Bavin was outspoken in condemnation of the policy of repudiation which had been given miblicity by those who were not decent Australians. Personally lie stood for the honouring of all their loan commitments, and was sanguine by a united effort that the Commonwealth would pull through financially. If there were any doubt as ' to the reality cf the country’s plight Mr

Bavin’s a dress must have removed it. The crisis is not a passing phase to be lifted easily. It is a stern reality involving sacrifices by all the people to permit the country to pull through. The elections do not take place till the last Saturday in October, anil they are of importance in indicating wliat the people of the Mother State think of the- situation. The defeat of the Bavin Ministry at the present juncture will produce a condition of financial chaos. ,Mr Bavin asks to be trusted by the people to do what is thought requisite, and his appeal was so direct and earnest and pis review of the general outlook so convincing that the electors will surely be wise enough to choose the right and only way to redeem the past, and pave the way for a better future.