LEARNING ITS LESSON.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 February 1922, Page 12

LEARNING ITS LESSON.

LABOR IN AUSTRALIA. RECKLESS BORROWING. FAILURE OF STATE ENTERPRISE. Australian problems as affected by Labor were referred to in Auckland recently by Mr. A. St. Leger, who formerly represented one of the Queensland constituencies in the Federal Parliament. As regards labor difficulties, Mr. St. Leger said these were now more political than industrial. The workers were coming to realise that their unions had been used for political purposes, and were no longer willing to be the tools of tyrants and extremists who were using these organisations for their own ends. No surer sign of the decline of faith in the Labor Pajty could be given than in its set-back in the recent municipal and local body elections in Queensland and New South Wales, Labor’s strongholds.

“The methods of the present Labor Administrations in these two States are menacing the financial stability of the whole of the Commonwealth,” said Mr. St. Leger. “The enormous revenue and loan expenditure, and high rate of taxation, if continued on the present scale, will break down not only the State Treasuries, but will also threaten the Federal Treasury. Queensland grid New South Wales have wildly and recklessly borrowed huge sums to start various State trading enterprises. The workers supported this policy at first, forj it opened up many new avenues of employment. They gow see for themselves that, practically all of these enteprises are doomed to hopeless failure, and the States are left with enormous liabilities which can only be met by ’liigh taxation, bringing about increased cost of living and the tying up of private finances that means the immediate crippling of industry and trade, and inevitable unemployqiept. The worker is thus coming to realise that this reckless State' expenditure, although seeming to benefit him at first, is inevitably followed by an increased taxation, the brunt of which he is finally called uponto bear.”

With regard to Australia’s attitude toward immigration. Mr. St. Leger said the negative attitude of Labor, verging on actual hostility, had undoubtedly been a very restraining influence on a vigorous policy, inasmuch as it had been able to restrict the State grants in favor of immigration. The Federal Government was now making very liberal provision for advertising Australia in Great Britain and English-speaking countries, ■< nd when Europe settled down there would undoubtedly be a steadily increasing stream of white Buropean immigration.

“We realise‘that the British element must always be overwhelmingly predominant,” said Mr. St. Leger, “but a good class of European immigratioh must also be welcomed. Australia is making provision for settling immigrants on the land by pushing forward great irrigation schemes which will enable large tracts of country to be opened up for farming purposes. Dams and reservoirs are being built, and water gradually extended to farming and fruit-gowing districts, which will then be opened up for settlement.