THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 4

THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM.

_ "MUCH GRIEVOUS WASTE." (By Telegraph,—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, August 25. With reference to the criticisms of Mr. Jones (organiser of tho Farmers' Political Protection Federation) on the co-opera-tive sysiem of public works, tho ''Herald" slates:—ln the- north wo havh had exactly the same experience's, We havo seen the rivet holes oi a great iron viaduct painiully and laboriously drilled by hand labour, instead of by machinery, and wo have actually had this amazing method officially doiowied as being in tlia interest ol worKraen, although in, this country (hero is work waiting everywhere for hands to do it. Tho co-operative system indicated by Mr. Jones us bad ioi Ihu worker and for the public has flourished in the north in all its glory with the in, evitablo accompaniment of dissatisfaction and wastefulness, while if we want an instance ol gignulU' low lli,-n\i;:l, the lucfe. ing up of capital in unfinished railways wo havo only to look at the North Island Main Trunk, where for years enough was lost in interest to build a branch railway annually. Both north and south stand on common ground in this, for however desirous tho people of <i district may be to secure railway facilities, (hey most certainly do not wont to lirivn good pnblii money woefully wasted in building them. Vol under our present administrative policy it is impossible to spend public money on public works without much grievous waste, and the heart of this wastefulness h in the co-operative system. The real workers do not profit by it, the country loses by it, and tho farming community docs most of the repaying.