DEMAND FOR ACTION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 December 1932, Page 4

DEMAND FOR ACTION

Judging from the outspoken opinions which have been expressed in all parts of the Dominion during the past month it certainly appears abundantly plain that the great majority of the people in New Zealand have arrived at the decision that something must be done — and done right quickly — to grapple with the slump conditions which are undermining the happiness, prosperity and moral fibre of the nation. Whether this decision has been hastened by the leaven of Christmas charity, or whether it simply marks the end of patient public toleration of ineptitude, need not largely concern us for the moment. The fact rei mains evident that people of all I shades of political opinion have j made up their minds to tell j Messrs Forbes and Coates in no I uncertain terms that the period for moaning and palliatives is ap- : proaching its end, and that the ! time will arrive with the re- ! opening of Parliament for the ' production of a policy of comiprehensive action. It is idle for | politicians to spin meaningless i words about the burden of taxai tion, the exhausted resources of ! the Unemployment Board, or j point to the beneficent acts , which the Government have to their credit. That sort of political soothing syrup gets us nowhere. It may bring temporary cairn', but the effeet wears off — it is wearing off now and the people are beginning to realise that if we are to save this fine country from ruin we must ; shake off the political and indus- , trial coma which has been induced by the politico-economic ' soothing syrup we have swallowed so freely during the last j year. We cannot hope to interjfere successfully in world trade | and political conditions, but we j can start here, in New Zealand, jby tackling our local markets. In this respect the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, has spoken out very definitely, j and his words, published in yes- ! terday's issue of the "Post," are jworth recalling. Dealing particularly with the unemployment problem he said: — j "It seems to me that the prob1 lem has resolved itself into two major ! considerations: Either still 11101-0 taxa1 tion will need to be imposed to provide the necessary funds to enable more adequate rates to he paid for unemployment work, or the Government must go to the country for an internal loan for the resumption of both national and local public works of an essential nature, the interest and sinking fund to come out of unemployment taxation. "It will be generally agreed that taxpayers are already bearing the limit of taxation burden, and the latter propesal, therefore, is the one that should be considered; even at higher rates the unemployed cannot be expected to put their hearts into some of the work which they are asked to do, but a resumption of useful work would react for the benefit of the whole eommunity. For this rea.son I heartily disagree with the Economy Commission that future capital works must be carried on out of revenue." In his demand for an internal loan Mr. Hutchison will have the backing of the great majority of the people. There is no reason to increase our burden with the London money lenders — it is too heavy already — for there is plenty of sound internal credit to work upon. The amount of interest and sinking fund required on such a loan would be slight in comparison with the loss already being sustained by 'the paralysis of the labour market and the drastic curtailment of the purchasing power of the public. It is necessary, however, to go deeper than the mere eeonomic aspect. There is something more at stake. We must consider what this tragic policy of drift is doing to our young nation. The poor pay, the hopelessness of the outlook, the inability to employ energy, brains, • initiative or capital are taking their toll of the nation's manhood and we are losing more, much more, than oommercial wealth.