The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1931. MR. FORBES’ STATEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1931. MR. FORBES’ STATEMENT.

Our readers have be lore them to-day the .text of the Prime Minister's Statement issued yesterday. This highly important declaration of Government policy has been waited for for some days, The tone of the address to the people on the country’s affairs is typical of Mr Forbes. It proves to be a plain, unvarnished review of the position, and those who peruse-it will realise that the Prime Minister does not attempt to gloss over anything. He traverses the position of the country closely and tersely, and ip will be realised lie has an intimate grip of the state of affairs. The financial position of the ‘national accounts is certainly disturbing. The Dominion is heading for a substantial deficit of millions. But Mr Forbes is not deterred from attempting a. policy to right matters and balance the budget within 12 months. He sots out to take a firm hold of (the country’s financial possibilities, and is not deterred by the magnitude of the task. There will be increased (taxation, and there will be increased savings, and with the desire to meet the needs of all expressed in a very frank and open manner, the Prime Minister sets himself to the intricate work ahead of him, The position of the country has been well thrashed out of la,to in a general way. The demands on behalf of the farmer have been heard very insistently. The worker lias had his efme put very pointedly. The business man and manufacturer have not been backward in expressing themselves. The Civil Servant has had a premonition of what was coming and railed against possibilities. But with all this clamour, Mr Forbes and his Cabinet have not been deterred. They have laid down a policy and it is so clearly analysed in the statement, that very few can seriously attack the logic of the situation. Here is a country drifting. The dully of the Government is to check that- drift, and' that is tlr* burden, of ,jho Prime Minister s lengthy explanation. He lias reviewed Ui° position in a plain. straight forward way, and given reasons lor what is proposed. Mr Forbes apoeals for all round support and he will not appeal in vain. There are proposals of a radical character in some instances, btit it is necessary to go to the root

of the trouble at times and the Government is not shirking that duty. The occasion as it is presented to the country, is a rare one. Never before has such a set of similar circumstances arisen. The Dominion like other countries is suffering severely economically. Our produce is not returning tlm valu s it did because the world's mai'k’Cs are depressed. Here is the weakness of the position. There !■* no means of fore I *'- no produce values, mid the country must now work out its own financial dest'nv from its resource within. These resources must he marshalled and organised, and 1 ha,• is proposed i» the statement. The section of the statement 1 ’’ with the

reduction in wages shows at a glance the bona fides of the Government in this matter. Mr Forbes takes a bold plunge, but if the country supports him as it should, it will be a measure to work great good for the ultimate financial benefit of the Dominion. The render will agree, who follows the statement through, tha.f 't is an honest tarnest effort to bring about the financial recovery of New Zealand, ft result which torches the well being of every loyal citizen, and makes for future progress and prosperity along safe and sane lines,