SELF-RELIANCE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5318, 27 August 1928, Page 3

SELF-RELIANCE.

“MOLLYCO 01)LING” C’ONDLWEI).

*BAD IN TIMES OF DEPRESSION

That any “mollycoddling” policy in times of depi’ißssion only creates wojrjse position' than, ever for the future was the opinion expressed by the Prime .Minister, (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) in his; address beforje the Dominion, Conference of the Ne-w Zealand Political Reform League at Wellington. “During bhe 1926 depression,” said tr-e Prime Minister, “many suggestions w.iere made by which our difficulties could be minimised, the most prominent suggestion, being that we slhquld prohibit the importation ojf American motor-cars into this country, .1 mention this as an illustration of a sug-» gested solution otf our. trouble, and I in.vite you to consider it for a moment. “The policy of the Government is certainly not to control or interfere with normal business. The people of this country 'hrtve a right to buy and sell .under ordinary trading vondiions, W’ith a much freedom, as is possessed by people in other Countries. Suppose We had agreeed tO| prohibit these American cars. What would have become of that freedom ? “It seems to me .that what w-e should aim at. is to encourage ,a ; spirit of self-reliance ; it ..is not for. the Government to “mollycoddle” the. people and tell them hojv they are to carry o.n their business. We want ,to get away from that as fax as possible. CASE FOR CAUTION. “Then,'we, 'had to consider, whether legislation could overcome- the economic results of .falling prices—l mean falling .prices for oiir main, exported produce. We watched, what w,a,s being dope in other countries. The Government was, ajuxio ( us to mett the position. We have considered all kinds of alternatives, we have received communications from people, with suggestions by every post, organisations have advocated this- o ( r„ that remedy, ami we came to the conclusion; that it was a case for extreme caution beifo.re adopting, any of them ; and that w*e : should hesitate- before we launched new legislation which would inevitably result j:i an- increased.’ permanent charge on the resources of the country, which means on the r'e> sources of everybody—employer., employee, and the State. We were unable to see what stage we .might, reach if we adopted any of the suggestions made.

THE GOVERNING THOUGHT.

. “I know we have been, accused' of using hard words, and 'it is true that, sometimes ope has to use hard words. To a man who cannot g.et a job there seems little coimfort in. being told that our policy is one of creating self-re-liance, enterprise, and initiative, on the part of the individual. It seems a littlt cold, and the map cannot swallow it.

“But it .must be borne in mind that if we do anything to .destroy a spirit qf self-reliance in men by ‘mollycqddlng’ tiheni they will be in a worseposition than ever, to face the future.”