Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER llth, 1980. THE APPLICATION OF CAPITAL

Hokitika Guardian, 11 November 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER llth, 1980. THE APPLICATION OF CAPITAL

It is so usual for extreme Labor in. its unending rodomontades about tlie relation of capital to progress, to decry the essential means of exchange for everything in connection with work, labor or production. In a recent issue reference was made to the quelching of the revolutionary spirit at Home, arising out of tho coal strike situation. It does not, of course, require acute perception to understand that social an'*economic conditions will not be improved by cutting one another’s throais, hanging elddrly politicians to lampposts, blowing up the House of Parliament, and other foolishness of this i sort. This is the path of social reform which Lenin would have Britain tread and curiously enough its advocates in Britain appear to be recruited exten sively from the same sources that pro vided the ‘conscientious objectors” of the late war. Miss Sylvia Panckhujrsr and various other irresponsibles have been carried off their feet by the Russian moon madness, but it has left the responsible trades union movement c old. The British people have political institututions and a Constitution that have made them the greatest and freest nation the world has seen. What they | have ibujlt up by laborious efforts through the centuries they are in no mood to tear down overnight to replace with some concoction from Russia, of all places!. Perhaps the developments in Britain may convince, com ments the our local Labour extremist amateurs in blood and thunder that although Bolshevism may be forced on Russians who can neither read nor write the time for it has long passed .in New Zealand. But withal the social, and certainly the eco nomic conditions of living in this coun try require reforming and along sane and sober lines much remains +o he done. Tho public for instance,, do not like to pay high prices for necessities when such are believed to yield large ! profits to the manufacturer or producer. Yet the economic writers insist that pirofit-s afford the most certain means by which prices are reduced. They p"t it this way: “The real social problem of the present time is how to bring home to the average man the fact that an abundant supply of all the things that he is wanting is dependent noon the accumulation of capital, not necessarily in his own hands, but in any hands that will use it effectively in production.” The yeon-omist believes that the fundamental reason for the high prices, and that increasing wages do not overtake rising prices, is that there is a scarcity of capital, olr in other words a scarcity of tho means of oroduotion and distribution. In accepting this dictum, it has to be borne in mind that the times are abnormal. We are still in the aftermath of the war, which was in itself the most abnormal time the world has ever seen. Trade, commerce and above all, production, were shaken to their foundation, and they have not recovered from the dislocation. Economic rules were set at defiance during the war period. Transportation so essential to supply and demand was so dislocated, that normal conditions could not be reverted to just because a complete armistice has arrived. The drain and the strain on many essential commodities has exhausted the world’s supplies, and pro-' duction itself was so irregular and uncertain that it was not ready to meet the demands from everywhere at once. But even at this juncture, capital becomes the moat needful factor to restore conditions to normal, when living prices might be within hail of 1914 rates. The great dislocation of essential trades fdr peace times being interfered with during the war period, threw the countries out of gear. The millions who went to war, were drawn from useful, peaceful pursuits in which during peace they had contributed their quota to the sum of human requirements. So to-day there is work foir all to do, and it must be paid for. Capital will be required for all this. Of all tho many proposals offered for improving the living conditions of the pco pie, there is not one which does not require capital; they are all conditioned upon somebody having a surplus which can be obtained either by inducing him to give, or invest, or by taxation. Noeverybody recognises that even taxation requires that somebody shall have acquired a surplus, and that the propertied man can he of first aid to the State by providing means to enable the State to pursue its allotted part in the ordering and government of the country. With so much call for more and more production capital is at greater call than ever, and is indispensable to the daily round of both public and private life. i

tfllH Ckfliiity elections Vvliioli took pUct) i ytfstferdtiy were not favoured witil vfirji fliVburahlo weather, but the pollttig appeared to he quite up to the tisutti average, though there did iiot appear to be the usual public interest manifested in the polling . nor tho results. For the Central Rid- ! ing, which now combines Kanieri, Kokatahi and Rimu districts, the three sitting members are returned. The fourth candidate, Mr Monk, however, made an excellent showing and polled well. In the Southern Riding, formerly Totara, Okarito and Okuru districts, radical changes have taken place. Of the sitting members, Mr Ferguson did not seek re-election but Mr Bruce and Hon Grimmond are not in tho trio leading in the results announced. Mr Jeffries and Mr Chinn, two new members are clearly elected, and Mr Ritchie is in j possession for third seat. Both Hon I Grimmond and Mr Searle are in close l attendance, and it remains to be seen what effect the official count will have on the final result. It would appear, j however, that Messrs Jeffries, Chinn, ; and Ritchie are the Councillors elect. Both the Hon Grimmond and Mr Bruce are veterans in local government in 1 Westland. Their names appear to be inseparable with public life over a long j term of years. Hon Grimmond. has been connected with County government | since the far-back days of 1876—in 1878 ! he held tho position of County Chair- t man. Mr Bruce has been in the County j Council for upwards of twenty years— j and both have rendered faithful ser. vice. They retire with a splendid record of public service to their credit, J for they have played a very useful part ; in helping mould the fortunes of the district from their seats in the local body. Perhaps they owe their defeat to not taking a more active and personal part in the present contest, but be that as it may their defeat does not in any way detract from their long and devoted service to the geseral interests of tho district—for both gentlemen were not at all parochial in their views, and looked to the welfare of the whole County in every instance. The fresh faces at the Council table will add renewed interest to the proceedings and tho new members will no doubt find plenty of opportunity of serving the electors as zealously as their predecessors have done. In tho County elections yesterday, the loan poll went by the board. The polling for and against was very’ ©yen — opinion being well balanced both ways. Thqre was an actual small majority against the loan, but to carry,,. it a three-fifths majority was required, so that the poll was lost in fact by about 70 votes on the number exercised. The result is to bo deplored. The proposal ■was the chance of dealing with public works in a larger and cheaper way Just for the reason that the farmer and tradesman have abandoned primitive methods of tilling the soil, reaping the harvest, or carrying on their business, and taken to the use of machinery to do tho same work quicker, less laboriously, nnd therefore with a saying, so in the apparently simple matter of road construction, machinery' lias come into general use, and is being used all over the world to great advantage. In most countries the machines cannot b” turn, ed out fast enough to meet demands of those whose business it is to make, main tain n.nd repair roads for public traffic. The .Counts' Council sought to get into line with this degree of modernity, and by utilising a road plant make .roads quicker, better and in the end, less costly for future maintenance. That was the object of the proposal, and tho electors have turned it down. For some time past now works have been held up through the shortage of labour, and this stringency is likely to last. Machinery would have helped to overcome the hold-up. There is a large number of Government votes awaiting expenditure in Westland, but these roads must wait, and the users must -go on suffering the inconvenience for the want of them or their improved condition which would be brought about by prompt attention to tlie ivories. Road-making plants are in great demand in New Zealand, thus showing their practical utility, and it is a pity the County electors have declined to drop into line with other parts in the march of progress. However, the question is purely one for the ratepayers who have to pay all the time, and it has to he assured that they have*decided the poll to their own liking, but we miss, certainly the evidence of the progressive spirit we should like to have seen manifested.