JUDGE’S IMPRESSIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1931, Page 3

JUDGE’S IMPRESSIONS

DEPRESSION GRIPPING ;K ; AUSTRALIA .

• January 6. H) ,s ’tjSiJhpfti Mr V Justice ; MacGregor, ylio>.by the Maungnnui to* daVy eferiedXbrief 1 y to conditions in 'l^rf^in-in Australia-. He. ' said; , .j'thsit-rafter' 1 speeding' a few weeks in ; /i:liondpn went to Bournemouth for p A shdrt then returned to ; fLondojt' ; ' ,en; 'route for , Scotland. | “FOr/three months we travelled in Scotland and-.,had a most enjoyable : time,”" hd"'said. “I had left Scotland as. a: iyouth. some forty-eight years before arfcl naturally I found enormous changes.,h’fhe principal changes observed, werpj first. an apparent improvement' in/the conditions of the poorer classes;: and, the absence of Jt}.- drunkenness.. T saw no drunk men in \{3<;otlist(.U jor:in . England during the V- whole of :my stay." >''•. - ' : '. ~ f, Oh arrival at Fremantle- it Vas- quite apparent 1 tente.-that- the country was, Tf Xin. 'the ''throes Lof.-.'depression ; and, as -•fe went' on to' Adelaide, Melbourne ' -and Sydney, this became more and more marked. It appears to me that S«vthd'hhahbial.''-coiiditioh=bf-'Australja. at. present is a. very unsatisfactory one, - and it is'clear that the Labour Government now in power are not making sufficient efFort to put their affairs in order. Business men are apprehensive, and . this is not to he wondered at. I spent a week in Sydney and was very much- depressed by the evidence all round of lack of money and employment. People, fear the future, and it is difficult to see any sign of improvement. The fact is that Australia has been for several years past extravagant, both publicly and privately, and has been living in the main on borrowed money, which has come to an end. , To get. out of their difficulties will requirel the Utmost economy and foresight on the part of all classes of the people, and it is only now that they are beginning to recognise that outstanding fact.” ■