PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20991, 19 December 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear.

i COUNTRY’S PROSPERITY

(To the Editor) Sir,—The statement of the Prime Minister last night regarding the indications of the country’s prosperity would be laughable if it were not so serious, coming from a man at the helm of a country that is at war. The nominal head of the country, by -he way, has apparently donned the coat, once worn by “Uncle Scrim,” and has ordered the propaganda “Minister” back to his soft-soaping. For any man, let alone a Prime Minister, to gauge the progress of a country by the beer, totalisator figures and unpaid new motor-cars, is surely madness. There are more solid things that more truly tell the story, and the things the Prime Minister referred to indicate the reckless spending and lack of responsibility which his Government so well preaches.—l am, etc., DISGUSTED. Hamilton. December 18.

TOTALISATOR FIGURES

(To the Editor) Sir,—The Prime Minister still tries to persuade—and unfortunately succeeds—the irresponsible ones \n the community that things are going well because totalisator figures are still up and there are new motor-cars everywhere. I think it is unfortunate that a Prime Minister should take these evident signs of reckless spending as signs of prosperity. What makes it worse is that the Prime Minister must know the true position as given by the most reliable barometer there is to the prosperity of the of the workers—the savings, bahks figures. It may interest your readers to know that up to the end of September this year there has been an alarming decline in savings banks figures Up to September, 1938, deposits were £16,701,908, and withdrawals were £16,029,751, leaving a comfortable balance of well over half a million. For the same period this year, However, the deposits totalled only £13,011,194, while withdrawals have totalled £17,194,489. This means that the people have not only failed to put away over £3,500,000, but that during this year withdrawals have eclipsed deposits by over £4,000,000. And how many of the cars that Mr Savage quotes are paid for? The Prime Minister knows himself that well over half of them are on credit, and a lot of them are never paid for, but this, apparently, has the approval of the Labour Party.—l am, etc., EX-LABOURITE.