ECHOES of the WEEK

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 120, 18 February 1928, Page 15

ECHOES of the WEEK

PRESS OPINIONS ON :: NEW ZEALAND TOPICS

New Zealand is calling out for better government and greater development and by the inculcation of the right spirit of independence, and the direction of the child in the right channels of employment much can be done. The skilled trades are the basis of industry and together with the settlement of the land for the production of our primary wealth will go far in the building up of a self-reliant and progressive nation that in the course of time will be required to meet new situations that are bound to arise in international affairs.—“ Southland Daily News.”

The commercial production of petrol from coal seems to be within measurable distance. It looks as if it may sooner or later be possible for New Zealand to reduce her big bill for petrol supplied from abroad, either by’ the discovery of petroleum in this country or by carbonisation of her coal. In any case the processes which are being evolved in Britain, America and Europe, whereby the valuable coustitutents of coal are being separated, should prove of great commercial importance when they are perfected, and one of the benefits should be the lessening of the motorist’s bill. In any case, if to the petrol produced from petroleum can be added the petrol contained in coal, it is evident that the motorist and the motor trade are going to be greatly benefited.— “Nelson Mail.”

Tt' is not likely that many occasions will atise when the New Zealand Ministry will differ from the Home Government on matters of foreign affairs. There will often arise occasions, however, when a complete and speedy interchange of opinion would ensure certainty that the decision of the British Ministry was the only one to be taken. The newly appointed officers should be able to supply just the advice that would be needed by Ministers in London and in Wellington so far ns ordinary matters are concerned. When matters of graver moment arise the value of the increase of consultative intercourse between the two Governments would be almost incalculable.—“Taranaki Daily News.”

Co-operation in detail can only _ be worked out by patient effort in particular industries. A great and valuable impetus may be given to such detail efforts, however, if the present national conference, representing as"it does an influential body of employers and the General Council of the British Trzde L'nion Congress, reaches the degree of agreement that appears to be in prospect. What may' be expected of the conference is an authoritative affirmation that British industry is no man’s private preserve, but a national undertaking demanding the highest development of team work in fair and equitable conditions. If industry is to contribute as it should to the needs and welfare of the nation, means must be found of substituting a true partnership between those engaged in it for the conditions of strife, or thinly veiled hostility, that are now too often the rule.—“Wairarapa Age.”

Tt will soon be time for another Imperial Conference Will these statesmen who are now taxing the food their people consume smooth their wrinkled ironts and become friends for a long enough period to enable them to ask Britain for reciprocity. Our fiscal policy is becoming a world-wide farce and those who do not wish to laugh turn their faces the other way. The intercolonial trade between Australia and New Zealand and the doings of the last few years should be convincing proof that the Empire is not to be strengthened bv reciprocity and tariff regulations. On the contrary, it is clear that if they are persisted in their is great danger of our ultimately quarrelling and parting.—“Waikato Times.”

When guilty people escape conviction because the charge and its consequences appear to public opinion, as represented by juries, to be too grave for the offence, then justice is defeated, and the satire of it all is that justice is baffled by the law. We have seen that in New Zealand too often in the case of men committed to the Supreme Court on charges of bookmaking, to name only one offence. The aim of any amending legislation—and there is every need for amending the existing criminal code—is "to make the punishment lit the crime”—not according to out-of-date but in accordance with a changed and. Jet it be hoped, enlightened, public opinion.—“Auckland Sun.”

The labour leaders have frequently said that it is their object to get all the opponents of Socialism "into one “camp,” but this is mere bravado. Nothing pleases them better than disunion in the moderate majority, and the very last thing they wish to see is a closing of the moderate ranks. The main obstacle to a united opposition to the Socialist challenge is lhe foolish belief of many people that the old Liberal Tarty may in some guise or other struggle back to power. Every vear thousands of electors, realising that there is 110 distinctve policy for which the Liberal'Tarty can stand, arc streaming away from the old allegiance, but those who are slow in seeing the plain enough facts are still sufficiently numerous to make any division amongst the Reform voters very advantageous to the Reds.— "Christchurch Tress.”

The wise employer’s concern is not really wages at all. but output; but Labour is being taught that the more money it is paid, apart altogether from the service it renders, the more it will have to spend, and the sooner industry will return to good times. There is thus a wide gulf between employer and employee which a truce would not bridge. If there were no strikes or lock-outs for a period of years, that would prevent the gulf from becoming wider, and by giving time for improvements in the methods of production, leave both sides in a more prosperous condition. But if the peace could be kept for so long a time by consent—and it will not be kept by any other method—it is difficult to see what excuse there is for the Arbitration Court. Tt would have no value during the periorl of the truce, and to suppose that it would become necessary again the day the truce expired is to admit in advance that the truce would be only a breathing space.—Christchurch “Press.”

New Zealand is at last doing something through its Publicity and Tourist Departments to let the world know that it exists, but it would be in our own interests for us to look into the landing regulations, and also examine the barriers raised against the tourist who wishes to travel through the country in his own car. And we suggest that such an investigation could be made more profitably by members of the New Zealand Motor Union, than by officers of the Departments concerned.—Hawera "Star.”

_ The Main Highways Board has considerable funds at its disposal. Soon, with the fruits of the petrol tax to hand, there will be even more money. Roadiuaking at an increased pace would be a useful and practicable source of employment. It would not matter much if it were done well ahead of any schedule at present contemplated. The money is available, men for the task are demonstrably obtainable; an acceleration of pace therefore would do good rather than anything else. Later on, when the present urgency relaxed, there could be a slackening off to a more moderate pace. The results would be of permanent value. There would be no atmosphere of a work specially created to employ men, an expensive and particularly futile brand of charity. This is but one suggestion to meet a position which should not exist. More could surely be found. While this is being done, there should be a con certed effort to discover and remedy the causes.—“ New Zealand Herald.”

We do not hear quite so much as we did of “going slow.” In all probability the men who carried out orders by doing so loathed the job. If men put some thought into their work they take a pleasure in it. It is not more muscle that is wanted, but more brains. On the other hand, if men are to give this improved service employers must learn to do the same. It is useless to expect men to be enthusiastic about work while the employer goes to races or puts in two or afternoons a week, bowling. Co-operation must be practised by the employer as much as by the employed. Conferences are not likely to bring about a new Heaven and a new’ Earth, but they may make a beginning, and the benefits which are to be had from co-operation will not be easily abandoned after they have once been experienced.—“Waikato Times.”

The Prime Minister thinks that rising costs have curtailed the farmer’s ability to employ labour, and undoubtedly he is right. But the rising costs have not been confined to farming; they have affected all industries, and Parliament has contributed not a little to the increase by permitting the expansion of an unproductive civil service,. by authorising increases in taxation, and by encouraging governmental extravagance. All these items have added to the cost of commodities, have compelled workers to seek higher and higher wages, and have severely restricted the natural expansion of secondary industries. The solution of the unemployment problem is, therefore, quite materially a Government responsibility, because the Government’s short-sighted and extravagant policy has contributed so largely to the creation of the problem. We do not expect the Prime Minister to admit the responsibility. It does not matter whether he admits it or not, publicly, so long as he and bis colleagues recog nise it and act accordingly.!— Lyttelton “Times.”

Methods which are effective in New Zealand often are useless in dealing with a native population like that of Samoa, and the Government wisely has decided to make a display of power in a manner calculated to impress the native mind. The deportation of the three people is part of this display of power, and the effect on the natives will bg far greater than the critics of the Government think. Mr. Coates has put up a strong case in explaining the reasons governing the action taken, and, in the interests of the Samoan people, it is to be hoped that this firm hand is maintained until the last vestiges of tlic unrest arc stamped out.—" Southland Times.”

Tor years past preservative in butter has been used and no bad effects have been reported. Now our butter has 1 go to the market without preservative, and the report that it will not keep long once it is removed from cold storage is probably true. If its keeping qualities are poor at this time of the year (the English winter), the prospects for the summer months are decidedly bad. Certain British interests have in the past done much to kill the New Zealand beef industry in favour of the Argentine, and one is inclined to think that there is more behind the abolition of preservative in exported butter than the alleged desire to protect the health of the consumers. The New Zealand Government should take steps without delay to protect the country’s export trade, for if the London market for butter is injured through the activities of the Dominion’s competitors the country wil] suffer seriously and we might even witness a repetition of the disaster which lias befallen the beef trade Wanganui "Herald.”

'lhe community has to pay, and does pay heavily, for the inefficiency which is encouraged as often as an industry or trading concern is sheltered from the full blast of competition. Gas companies continue to make profits, and to make them without robbing the public, because they must do so or cease to exist. Many of the trading concerns of the State and of the municipalities would actually be losing money if they were compelled to-stand wholly on their own feet, and they remain in business, whether we realise it or not, because they arc being subsidised in two or three directions by the public. The public pay their taxes for them, they pay for most of their good-will, and they also, and espeeiallv, pay for their faultv and costly 'methods. It is amazing, as the "Tress” has so often pointed out before, that we not only tolerate the injustice of unfair taxation, but go on paying the price of it.—Christchurch "Press,”