AFTER THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 151, 15 March 1918, Page 6

AFTER THE WAR

ORGANISING FOR PRODUCTION. A paper on "Industrial and Commercial Reconstruction after the War," by Mr. F. G. Dalziell, who has lately returned from Britain, w,as read at a meeting in the Concert Chamber last night, held under the auspices of the Workers' Educational Association. Professor T. A. .Hunter presided. . . '

The chairman said that the meeting had been called by the Workers' Educational Association tor two purposes — to provoke discussion on the reconstruction that must follow after the war, and to enrol pupils for the tutorial classes in tho session just opening. Mr. .Dalziell would open tho discusDion of the question of national reconstruction. He explained that as Mr. Dalziell was not in vigorous health he (the chairman) would read Mr. Dalziell's paper for him. Mr. Dalziell, in his paper, wrote that bis first and chief aim was .to urge Now , Zealand to adopt a_ common aim—and that was tho making of our people the greatest nation on earth. Our fighting men had held their own in France, but if the peopleof England had done no more than we in New Zealand had done, in economic aid, the Germans would ere now have been masters of Europe. The British people had shown great courage; they had staked everything, and in order to do so had scrapped longcherished principles, in order to organise for a great national purpose. Mr. Dalziell went on to explain and discuss organisation methods and schemeG adopted in England, especially in the production of munitions, emphasising the importance attached to, and the results achieved from the proper care of employees. The aim was practical organisation by employer and employee undertaken for business purposes. It was fully recognised that old-fashioned methods -were in the last degree wasteful, and that they would no longer serve. His most important proposition was that the first essential _to national reconstruction was to give up the system of control by the legal owner's of property, and to pay for personal services only. ' To obviate all present wasteful methods there must be somo plan of business organisation other than that now in operation. After the paper had been read tho audionce was invited to ask questions or to express opinions if they so desired. Mr. Dalziell answered these questions himself, 'and he had to answer quite a large number of them.

Mr. C. R. C. Eobicnn moved that the meeting set up a committee to arrange for representatives of Labour, commercial and industrial organisations to formula'.e a report on the idens submitted by Mr. Tblziell.

The nroposnl was carried, and the cnmmittee was set up. consisting of Mrssirs. Davidson. ,T. HuMiPSon, Eas;le, FosLer, and Professor "Punter. A vote nf ilinnlrs was accorded to Mr. Dnlziell for his. paper.