The Guardian And Evening star, with which is incorporated the West Coast limes WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1932. THE REVISED BASIS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening star, with which is incorporated the West Coast limes WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1932. THE REVISED BASIS.

The new year will see people and institutions mo. e disposed than ever to bund on a staoie In.sis—it at all

possible. Last year was one of great uncertainty, but hopes were current that the times and prices for coniniudities would mend, i'ne hopes uc;e not realised, for prices fell lower, and the revenue of trie couiu\y dropped lower. The national position grew serious with the income falling by millions, and “cuts” were enfoiced which hurt more or lens. Probably, to day, they are regarded more -philosophically than they were when the economy axe tell so suddenly, and the man in u regular job is more- reconciled to a realisation of the true position. 'i-Tie liaise by the agitators heard at every street corner about the standard or wages being reduced, held sway up to the election period, but since then a calmer review of the true position, has brought home the conclusion, that those who suffered the “cut” wore lucky it

was not more severe. A northern .contemporary puts the matter very ’plainly in the following summing up: “The truth is that we have entered a new time which may colloquially be likened to the morning after the night before. Had this country been governed with perfection iri every respect during the last forty years, it could not have escaped the cyclone that is raging round the world, but it would have been in a much better position to meet it. Leaving out of account the war, New Zealand i® burdned to-day with the results of decades of public and private extravagance and folly of various kinds, and the year 1931 wilt have taught us nothing if it has not made us realise that we must rule ourselves more wisely if we wish to survive this -crisis and' meet successfully others that the future may bring. Fortunately, 1931 presents some evidence that the Government and the country do realise this. There were, for instance, the removal of the railways from political control and the acceptance by the Government, Parliament- and tJie p-uhlic of the new Board’s report on railway construction. Possibly these were the two most important New Zealand events in 1931.- Our fate, of course, is not entirely in our own hands. What is being done in the Chancelleries and Conferences of Europe to-day will affect Nevy Zealand in cqippany with, .every other . country. The success or failure of- the- Lea gut) of Nation*, what happens at the pigs armament Conference, the modification of reparation ahd debt liabilities, whatever steps may be- taken to control currency internationally—these and other movements will help to shape our destiny. We are dependent first on the prosperity of Britain, our principal market, and then on general world conditions. Byt we can put our house in order; we can so order our public policy and our private lives as to present the strongest resistance to adversity and to take the fullest advantage of good fortune. The record of the past year is by no means written entirely on the debit ,side.' The Government has grappled seriously with the task of economy and balancing the Budget. Amid all our financial difficulties no great business institution has failed. Despite the depression, primary production has increased, so that what is lost in prices is partly made up in output. The*nation has every reason to be watchful, thrifty aiul self-sacrificing, to be as severe upon party manoeuvring in disregard of the public interest as with direct inefficiency and waste, but none to despair. The people of New Zealand should remember the privations suffered by the pioneers, and the courage with which their grandfathers attached the present and faced the future, and, thankful for the splendid heritage they have received, they should enter the new year armed with confidence and determination.”