Still Muddling Along

NZ Truth, Issue 1142, 20 October 1927, Page 4

Still Muddling Along

THERE seems little doubt that given a little more rope and the Coates Government will most certainly strangle its political life. The Raglan bye-election result was a nasty jolt from a section of the public which, up to the present, the Reform Government has always looked upon as being of that type of supporter to whom it could say, "Have faith — accept us and our policy with a blind understanding." The Coates Government has always been emphatic in its denials that its stupid immigration policy was in any way responsible for unemployment. Not the slightest attempt has ever been made to bring into existence a. decent land settlement scheme and to bring to the Dominion the type who would settle in the country. This can be readily understood when it is remembered what a mess the Reform Government of the day made of soldier settlement, and how little real sympathy the present regime, has shown towards the man on the land. To-day local bodies in the principal cities of New Zealand are being called upon to carry the burden of unemployment created by the colossal stupidity, or worse, of the Coates Government. Already Wellington citizens have contributed several thousands of pounds and Auckland and Christchurch are contributing a similar amount. Nobody would be foolish enough to deny that, had the Government exercised a little legislative commonsense and called a halt on the dumping of skilled tradesmen into the country, unemployment would not be rampant to the tragic extent that exists to-day. The Reform chickens are coming home to roost and they are likely to be extremely troublesome about next election day.