WHEN THE WAR IS OYER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 10, 7 October 1918, Page 6

WHEN THE WAR IS OYER

Sir,— Any sane man knows Sat food products are scarco in Europe and, the prices high, but there is no excuse foi the abnormal prices charged by merchants for all food products grown in the Dominion, of which many thousands of tons lie in our bulk stores awaiting .shipment. If the Government had had any serious intentions of alleviating the condition of ttje workers the Board of Trade could surely have brought forward some suggestions .that .would have made the general conditions of living much better for all parties.. Judging by results their appointment seems an nbsoluto farce, and a very_ costly farce at that. I am sure -the time has come for the workers to take a hand, and when the war is over you can do pend that they will do so. There is no danger that they will do anything that will injure the community or discredit New Zealand in any way. The many thousands of our young men who'have fought and died for England are mostly workers and sons ot the workers, and no one can say that their marvellous' record of patriotism and bravery is not a credit to the ; country and the people that gave them birth. There are many reforms that 'mutt come after the war, and briefly : I should' say some of these reforms rill be: State ownersliip of coalmines, State doctors and lawyers, State bonuses to all children born, State maternity homes . in every town,, and other, reforms equally important. - It may be years before such changes take place, but the speedy advent of a Btronp;; Labour Party will greatly help to bring these reforms about. I remember well the bitter antagonism that arose from the lawyers when the Public Trust Office was first started, but the Public Trust Office is to-day one of the most important branches of the public service.—l am, et°'> '-■■■. , ~ A.E.D. Stratford, Octobor 4.