The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1931. FROM BAD TO WORSE.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1931. FROM BAD TO WORSE.

The progress of the Premier of New South Wales in his administrative acts has been compared' to that of the rake who went from bad to worse in his downhill career. Certainly the comparison is not altogether out of place in reviewing the official acts of Mr Lang. The straits to which lie has brought the Mother State of Australia are surely deplorable. The country is on the brink of ruin so far as its Government is concerned. All possible credits have been exhausted. Debts have been repudiatd, and left to the Commonwealth Government to pay rather than that it should be said the repudiation was national. Mr Lang is at his wits’ ends for finance, and has discovered he has not the money to pay State salaries this week. This is the condition despite all Mr Lang has done to relieve himself of his financial burden. He took steps to reduce interest compulsorily, and in some eases did not pay at all, while in other instances debts were not recognised. He has introduced special taxation of a most exacting character, but with dt all he has now to admit that the exchequer is empty and the national finances bankrupt. Once more he has appealed to the Commonwealth, and lie looks to Messrs Scullin and Theodore, whom his own party men are disposed to discredit, for help. r The help will he forthcoming if Mr Lang will conform to the promises made

earlier about balancing; the budget. Probably bis unsupported word to confirm with that agreement will not be accepted. Mr Lang has been openly irresponsible in his acts following these conferences, and the Commonwealth Government might well require some security that this latest agreement wil be carried out. How much longer this drift may go on without the crisis culminating, lomains tlio be seen. The politics of Australia, are surely in the melting pot, and at the first opportunity no doubt the country will throw off the baneful influences now directing affairs. The Labour policy so often advocated in this country of endeavouring to deal with capital compulsorily, has been tried out with very disastrous consequences in Australia. Tile example' there should be warning enough for New Zealand when next Labour woos the electors from the hustings. Only last week in Parliament, Mr Holland, Jeadeir of the Labour party urged the compulsory reduction of interest rates. Were such legislation attempted no doubt there would he a flight of capital from New Zealand. Indeed, knowing the predisposition of Labour to apply its experimental methods to finance, wo can predict with safety that should Labour ascend to political power in the Dominion, an exodus of capital would promptly result. Labour is prodigal in promise at every opportunity. Many rash promises have been made already to induce votes to be pledged to Labour at the next election, but Labour if in power pan no more honour those extravagant promises, than Air Lang has been able to do with like promises to the New South Wales civil service and the workers generally. The Australian situation at least stands out as a beacon light to warn the electors of New Zealand not to be deluded foolishly as Australia has been. These are times when the position can be weighed more coolly and deliberately than in the heat of an election, and the electors in this Dominion might well study the situation and avoid the fate of Australia which has gone from had to worse under Labour political rule.