STILL WAITING FOR A LEAD

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 31, 29 September 1931, Page 2

STILL WAITING FOR A LEAD

In spite of the spectaeular political events which have taken place during the last month the country is still waiting ior a poliey from its elected representatives in Parliament. The present session opened on June 25 and so far no legislation of any consequence has been passed. There have been two long debates crammed with vaporing platitudes, but the only effeet those have had has been to add to the people's burdens. All told it costs about £1 per minute to keep the Parliamentary machine running, and while members have been talking about the necessity of balancing the Budget they have all the time been making the task more difficult. On August 21, during the course of the financial debate, Mr. Coates moved a motion recomrnending the setting up of an inter-party committee to investigate the Dominion's economic and financial position and to decide what remedial steps should be taken to adjust national expenditure and to provide for equality of sacrifice and a proper distribution of the burden. The committee heard voluminous evidence, but as soon as it commenced to deliberate it flew off at a tangent along party lines. The Coalition Government was the result, but where are the "remedial steps" that the country is to take? A patient people is still waiting. It has seen a Tweedledum Cabinet changed for a Tweedledee, but so far there has been nothing to justify an atom of hope from even the most optimistic for our economic future. Judging by the remarks which have been dropped from the Prime Minister on the deliberations of the new Cabinet he and his "ministry of talents" seem to be going through all the evidence of the interparty committee again and hope to present something to the Kouse when it assembles again on Friday — over three months since Parliament first opened. Apparently a new legislative programme is to be prepared and it will be some weeks before this reaches the Statute Book. There seems to be little doubt that the Budget will be balanced, on paper at any rate, but what of

the national budget, which is irfinitely more important than the State accounts ? When Austrak'a decided to take stern measures to put the Commonwealth on an even economic keel it selected a small committee of experts, lieaded by Professor Copland, to investigate the situation and draw up a plan for the future. This committee took nine days to formulate a policy and the Federal Government ratified its report. What a contrast to the political shilly-shallying we are experiencing in New Zealand. Our chief trouble seems to be that the politician is the only man in the community who is not trained for his job, and the last person to admit it. Take the present Cabinet: The Prime Minister, a farmef, is Minister of External Affairs, Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Eesearch, Public Trust, etc. ,W e have another farmer in Mr. Coates, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Transport, and Minister in Charge of Unemployment. Mr. Ransom, still another farmer, is Minister of Lands,. and here the portfolio is more appropriate. Mr. Downie Stewart, as Minister of Finance has made some study of the subject, but he has also been one of our indiscriminate borrowers in the past. Sir Apirana Ngata is fully qualified to represent the Native Race, but he is also in charge of the Government Life Insur-

ance, State Fire Insurance, Public Service Superannuation, and National Provident Fund. A dentist, Mr. J. A. Young, may be qualified for the portfolio of Health, but has he some of the qilalities required to control the Immigration and Printing and Stationary Departments ? A business man, Mr. Masters, has been selected as Minister of Education and Minister of Industries and Commerce and of Tourist and Health Eesorts, the last two being more appropriate. Mr. Jones, a farmer, as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Mines, should have some knowledge of ihe former at least. Mr. Cobbe, a retired storekeeper, is Minister of Defence and Justice, and at the Tbottom of the list is still another farmer, Mr. A. Hamilton, at the head of the Post and T'elegraph Department, Minister of Internal Affairs and in charge of the Audit Department. Could anything be more Gilbertian? In ordinary life one would not think of placing a farmef in charge of a bank, or a- dentist at the head of a newspaper office, but when it comes to running the biggest business of all- — the business of State — the paradox is pardoned. It's a strange world and it's no wonder that we get off the raiis occasionally. The wonder is that -we get back again. Perhaps it is in spite of governments.