Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1943. EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1943. EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS.

' ANNOUNCING yesterday the establishment of a maturity date (June 30, 1946) for National Savings investments made after the end of next month, the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) once again drew attention to the important extent to ■which these savings are contributing to the economic stability of the Dominion. The simple facts on -which lie touched —particularly that needless spending on a market short of commodities of many kinds is about the most unprofitable kind of dealing in which anyone can engage, while on the other hand there are great advantages, to each individual concerned as well as to the community at large, in storing up purchasing power to be used at a later date when consumer goods are in plentiful supply and prices more nearly approach to normal —cannot be grasped and acted upon too widely. No regulations or measures of stabilisation introduced and enforced by the Government can in themselves serve by any means fully the purpose of limiting price increases to a minimum and averting serious inflation. A fairly large proportion of i the members of our present-day community have had extended and unpleasant experience of the devastating blight of inflation and its inevitable and not less desolating sequel of deflation. Those who have had this experience and all who give thought A to the question are bound to perceive that- every individual citizen has an essential and responsible part, to play in preventing a recurrence of similar evils. Saving, where it is practicable and legitimate—which implies an intelligently controlled exercise by each member of tl(e community of his or her buying power—is the factor needed to give beneficial effect to the measures of regulation and control instituted by our public authorities. Saving, on the scale and in the degree in which it is now not only highly desirable but imperatively necessary in the present and future interests of every individual and of the community as a whole, can only be accomplished by the voluntary action of individuals throughout the community. Some people are not in a position to save, but it is probably much more important in this country, in spite of the extent to which the National Savings movement has expanded, that a great many people have yet to be awakened to the advantages and value from their own standpoint and that of their country, of the measure of saving of which they are capable. Anyone, however modest, his or her means, who dispassionately considers the facts, will be convinced that the greatest possible increase in the number of investors in National Savings and in the number of small subscribers to the new War Loan about to be floated, will be of unqualified advantage to all concerned.