DEPENDS ON PRODUCE PRICES

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1947, Page 5

DEPENDS ON PRODUCE PRICES

AUCKLAND, March 31. "There is no fairy godmother to -work miracles for New - Zealand if the prices of primary products should fail," said the ehairman of the Auckland Gas Gompany, Mr. V. "J. Larner, at the company's annual meeting today, There was, he said a distnrh- ; ing tendency to overlook the vital : fact that the country 's prosperity was almost entirely dependent upon good prices ruling overseas i'or primary products. He said rising wages and shorter hours in sepondary industries were prejudicing primary production. If high wages and shorter : hours improved working conditions, to continue they must be accom-pa-nied by a full honest day's work hy all employees. Thet'e seemed to be a laek of a full sense of responsihility to members of the puhlic op ; whom ultimately the hurdon feff. The ease with. which higher wages were obtained naturally led to excessiv.e demands which, if conceded under duress, threatened a hreak down of the economic structure of the country. The large, unjustifiahle wages pqid mere hoys and girls must lead ultimately to grave irresponsibility and a false coneeption of the real value pf work and money, coupled with extravagant living anff destruction of charapter.