AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 December 1931, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

(Press. Assn.-

MR. SCULLSN'S POLICY OPPORTUNITY FOR BEST BRAINS OF COUNTRY ' TO ASSIST BANIUNG AND EMPLOYMENT

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

Rec. Dec. 1, 10 p.m. MELBOURNE, Tues. The Prime Minister, "Mr. J. H. Seullin, delivering a policy speecli, claimed that the Government, though handicapped by a hostile Senate, an empty Treasury, and a heavy deficit, had been able to avoid default and had

also placed Australia on the road to rscovery. Mr. Scullin went on to say that the next Parliament must concentrate on the work of economy and reconstruction. His Government, if returned, was prepared to give the best brains of publie-spirited men in all walks of life, an opportunity to advise and assist in this task. Some means must be found to get workless men back into -employment. He expressed the opinion that the ultimate solution of this problem would be found in international government co-operation. The Government, he said, would take up the question of the interchange of preferences and a mutual arrangement for markets with Great Britain and the other Dominions and to help in the search for a sounder monetary system than the one which had already failed. The restoration of employment and the rehabilitation of labour and, industry dwarfed every other issue. Mr. Scullin urged the e'lectors to take no notice of canards about the Government's resort to inflation. Such things were said years ago about 'the Fisher Labour Government. It was however, intended to permit the Commonwealth Bank to function actively as a trading institution in competition with the private banks, and to embark t^pon the -establishment of a central reserve bank which was a notable feature of the financial development of other countries. A central bank could tide the country over a period of financial stringeney by mobilising the reserves of all banks and using them to the best advantage.

The Government would continue to eneourage Australian manufactures to the utmost limit, by affording equal protection and would aim to secure to British industry the major portion of the import trade of the Commonwe£ilth. Efforts would also be made to build up and strengthen the primary industries and to offer encouragement to more people to take up rural pursuits. Although the high rate of exchange was very eostly to the Government of Australia, the present exchange rates would be maintained in the interests of the primary producers.