28 FEBRUARY 1931, Page 2

The Unionist Central Council At a meeting of the Central

Council of the National Union of Conservative • and Unionist Associations on Tuesday the most important subject discussed was economy. A resolution was moved urging the next Unionist Government to ration the Departments, but after a speech by Mr. Neville Chamberlain the resolution was amended so as to promise a Unionist Government support for "any measures" which would secure economy. Probably rationing would be found in the end the best way if there should ever be a Government bold enough to apply it. In private affairs rationing has succeeded when nothing else has. When the income of private persons is cut down they " manage " some- how, but so long as they' can draw money to pay for whatever things they call "necessary," their retrench- ment is insignificant. Mr. Snowden sees as clearly as anyone that if the nation goes on spending more than it has got it will before long be in the pitiful state in which Australia now finds herself. All the arguments which are being used here about the virtue of increasing the consuming capacity of the nation in order to promote trade and so forth have been used in Australia.