The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1930. HOME POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1930. HOME POLITICS.

The year now- opened promises to ho an important one in the history of British politics. It seems more than likely that there will be a. general election at Home this year and in that event there will probably be a radical reaiTsingement of parties. The interview the Prime Minister (Mr Ramsay McDonald) gave to the ‘‘Daily Herald”, of London, as a now year nichsage, was not very inspiring, Air McDonald is an avowed socialist and lie expressed the conviction that the past 3ear hnd demonstrated the truth of the socialistic case—while the “Alorning Post” flippantly described socialism as being wages without work. Certainly the dole, to the alarm of AU Snowden, as administered by the socialistic government, has built up the army of the unemployed, though Air McDonald attributes that state of affairs to the machinery of capitalism breaking down. Rather should he not have admitted that the Government. taxation for social services at Home had used up the capital of the people for non-productive purposes. It is notorious that property holders ape very heavily taxed at Home, and the levy is being continued without remedial resultp, more and more money indeed being required for the

social movements of the Government. Mr McDonald professes to place his finger on the general cause of the financial troubles of the Old Land. H.c. says that a few financiers in Now Vork, London, and Paris were pursuing their own ends and their fortunes wore able to destroy the fruits of good harvests and productive accomplishments of human energy. with the result that prices fa 11 _ intense insecurity spreads over the world and descends steadily in darkest depross:on. AA’e doifbt if the general world condition is as easy of diagnosis as all that, but if it is, the Labour Government is surely remiss in not scotchin-r so apparent an evil. But Air McDonald has something hopeful to snv before he closes, and ho expresses h : p belief that there are signs that Britain has reached bottom, ,a.nd the upward movement has begun. Let us 1)0)00 that these expectations will bo realised. On the face of it. it does not appear that the Government lent much of a helping hand to the recovery of things in general. In regard to Empire trade in particular, the colonial Premiers who went to London to meet the Ministers, received nought but an almost discourteous rebuff. Of course there is much to say pro and con about preference for Kmoire goods, but the Labour Ministry might have been more -helpful, in the .matter, for at one stage it appeared that the negotiations were to he ended very abruotlv. The free trade poliev of Great Britain gives special consideration to foreign trade. This, despite the fact that the Overseas Dominions are givng special nvofeicnce to British-made goods. There is

not any attempt at reciprocal arrangements. Round this circumstance the next general election will be fought mninlv. A great deal has been donand is being done to educate public opinion to the Empire situation, and bve-elections show to (some extent that a new vision is being created-. A powerful press is operating on the side o r the colonics. and the Conservative party is aligning itself to the same end. These are factors which n, ' r going to make the next appeal to the electors epoch-making. The newspaper opponents of the Government do not spare the- Labour Ministry m the wear’s review of Home polities. he “Dailv ‘Telegraph” is very outspoken in wholesale condemnation of the political results of the year . Tlies- nrstraws which indicate how the politico breeves are blowing, and frive colour to the hints that the- days of the Lnbouir Government are numbered 1 opportunities have been £ lGa • ' has failed to achieve the success whm vould better the lot of the lns had in. its keeping, and a chanj „ f Government now apears mcv.tabl .