Bay Of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26, 1949 WELCOME HOME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 46, 26 January 1949, Page 4

Bay Of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26, 1949

WELCOME HOME

Mr W. Sullivan, M.P., got home yesterday from a strenuous, but no • doubt instructive, tour of Britain, Europe and America after attending the Empire Parliamentary conference. It will be good to see the familiar figure again, and hear hi'-, sensibly pungent comments on local, national and .international affairs.

That he has lost nothing of his characteristic forthrightness was clear from his remarks on arrival at Wellington. More, there was an indication that his lour overseas had confirmed views he had expressed here often before leaving.

A close look at the Russiancontrolled areas of Germany has made him no more tolerant of Communism. He suggested tl u a spot of work under the same conditions as Germans unde’: Russian control might do our own Communists good. Certainly, if the way they treat their ex-enemies is also the way they treat their Comrades, Mr Sullivan’s suggestion might well work a change pf heart in our more enthusiastic Reds. .

It is good to know that our prestige still stands high overseas. Displaced persons, asked where they wanted to go, almost invariably told Mr Sullivan the United States, Australia or New Zealand. Let us hone we were included in our merits, and not for fear of hurting his feelings, because one cannot but agree with him that, in offering to take 1,000 of these displaced persons, New Zealand was doing the right thing.

There is distinct merit in his suggestion that the system of payrhent according to output now in use in many English factories might well be introduced here. Actually, that would be a much fairer method of payment than the present flat rate per hour basis. .

Unfortunately, in its simple form, such a system cculd not be generally applied. In certain occupations to figure out a system of payments on results might present some difficulty, but, with cost accounting the exact science it is today, it should not be impossible to work out pretty accurately the exact contribution of any worker or group of workers to any organisation’s achievements. But it would certainly cause some administrative headaches.

Difficulty would be with those large groups of workers whose efforts are directed wholly to service rather than production. However, it would be relatively simple to apply such a system to most trades, and. would certainly do much to step up production in certain .lines.

Possibly there lies in such a suggestion a solution of the problem of increasing this country’s

i primary production with a view Ito having a greater surplus to send to our kinsfolk overseas. But whether a satisfactory method of paying farm workers (and those engaged in the distribution of farm products) on what they actually contribute to the production of the soil could be evolved would seem to be a question for the rural community itself to answer. Whatever the difficulties, it does seem clear that one of the things that will have to be tackled in this country before long is the unfairness of a system whereby there is little or no encouragement for a worker to excel at his job. Few will quarrel with the doctrine of equal pay for equal work, but many can pick holes in the principle of equal pay for equal time oh the job, regardless of other factors.