A Socialist's Protest

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 158, 22 July 1937, Page 3

A Socialist's Protest

YELRAB.

Sir,— The monthly fulminations of Mr Baird from his Chamber of Commerce cockpit are highly amusing, Last month wp were told that owing to recent legislation — i.e., high wages and shorter hours, etc. — capital had "almost reached the breaking point. " Later in the report we heard that car registrations had exceeded all previoua records and Hastings had even beaten Napier in this demonstration of new prosperity. Your xeaders note these iindings wifli a great deal of amusemcut. We learn this moutli that "Socialisin must be fought at every turn." "We must lmve capital and more capital," but the workers, wlio are the producers of this needed capital, must not be too liighly paid and must live in houses scheme would have been splendid for not above the £450 Jimit. Such a scheme would have been splendid for New Zealand, and Mr llush lMunro, a niau wit5 an eye for beauty, says "Ameu." Thank goodncss, Mr Editor, we have in Mr J. A. Lee a man of larger vision and greater liuinan outlooh. Jle says. "Nothing but the best.xs good enough for tbe masses of toilers who produce the wealth by hand. and braiu in this fertile countrv." He- is working strenuously for his ideal to ltoase the workers of New Zealand, not by redueing wages and providing hutments at 12/0 a wcek, but by increasing their Income that they may be comfortably hOused in wcllcoiistructed and designed boines, rnnging froin 25/- to 30/- a week. The London Chamber of Commerce displayed a greater moasure of intelligence when it endorsed the statement of our Prime Minister ''that the road to true progress and prosperity lies ir> a larger proportion of ihe earuing powtrs of a peoplo being inude available as purchasing power abong the people." 1 would advise Mr Baird to take notice when London spealcs. — Yours, ctc.,

Hastings, July 22/37.