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Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1931, Page 4

'JTik now composite Government at Home meets the Commons to-day, and great ipte'rost is sure to centre in the session now opening. The occasion io remarkable because of the split in the Labour Ministry, and the adhesion of Mr MacDonald and colleagues to office for the one purpose of endeavouring to save the credit of the country. in doing so they have incurred the opposition of several of their colleagues in the late Labour Government, as well as that also of the majority. or their party. The Ministers are being criticised severely by the Labour Lmons who regard the action of Mr MacDonald and his colleagues as disloyal to the cause of Labour. These gentlemen have endeavoured to justify themselves verbally before their late followers but without evident success. The better opportunity will offer now with the House in session when the full position creating the cause for a National Government will be revealed. There is ample evidence of the seriousness of the situation in the fact that on learning the facts, both the Conservative and Liberal, leaders lost very little time in agreeing to join a National Ministry, but this impressive event did not suffice to convince Labour, the members of which continue to be purely class representatives. However the full story may now be expected, and the reason for the sacrifice of Labour “principles” by Messrs MacDonald, Snowuen, Thomas and other Labourites will be revealed- The action of these Labour members stands out as an example of true patriotism in which the financial safety of the country was put before the nominal benefits of party. Without a re-or-ganisation of finance the fate of the working man in Britain would he serious to contemplate. Mr MacDonald has hinted at what would happen to the British paper pound if the finances were not put in order, hut as so often happens, Labour turns a deaf ear to a plain statement of facts, and is satisfied to revile the Ministers who acted in the interests of the many rather than the few. The task before the National Ministry deserves all sympathy and support, for their effort is to save the financial reputation of Britain in which the whole British Empire is involved.