ROTORUA, N.Z., MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1932.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 148, 15 February 1932, Page 4

ROTORUA, N.Z., MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1932.

THE MOUNTAIN TO MAHOMET

As the economic mountain refused to go -to the political IVlahomets, the political Mahorr^ts .-have.rgone to the economic mountain. In other words, th$ Coalition Government has at long last appointed a committee of qualified economic experts to make an investigation of the copntry's budgetary position. In this action the Government is tp be commended, but it would have been more warmly commended if it had taken the aption months ago. As we have pointed out before, it was the obviqus 8tep to take, but our politicians, lost in the, to them, trackless forest of the slump, could not fqr the life of them see the wood for looking at the trees. If similarly. qualihed experts had been include.d .in other politically appointed Bommissions, in this as well as past years, the country might now be pursuing a-well dehned path to recovery instead of zig-zagging Mpng1 .under the uncertain guidance of two gentlemen, who would almost qualify as twin political speed record aspirants. The appointmeut of Frofessor D. B. Copland to the commission has occasioned considerable adverse comment in a section of the pr6ss. It should not be necessary to stress the fact that Professor Copland has very high qualifications, and he may be depended upon to bring a judiciai and trained mipd to ^ssist the country's problems. Professor Copland has already proved of the greatest assistance i to Australia, and despite the fadt that Mr. Lang is still back | Watering the national boat, that country is well on the up grade ! with a definite plan'to pursue. The other members of the Com- | ihiSsion 'have equally high credentials, and their appomtmerit | cbmes as a ray. of suhjshine in" the pervading political "and I economic gloom. " The Prime Minisfer has expressed the hope I that the committee will.have a |plan formulated in about ten days. This is rather a contrast to the three'and a-half months which Mr. Forbes required to make up his own or his Cabinet's [ minds, to appoint them. If the Prime Minister's hopes are to | be -fulfilled, the. Commission members must be of sterner stuff tHan our bab'inet'Ministers. We think they are.