WHERE DO WE STAND?

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1921, Page 4

WHERE DO WE STAND?

(Mercantile Gazette). Where do we stand? is a question that we should all ask ourselves in all seriousness, and endeavour to realise that we stand on the brink of had times which we are certain to accentuate through our folly, idleness and extravagance. We must realise the basic fact that our produce is not realising the war time prices. If we realise £5,000,000 on the current wool clip we will be doing rather well, and yet during the war period we received about £12,000,000. .Meat is also falling in pi ice, and there must be several millions to write off under this head. Then we have to take into account tallow, hides, sheepskins and hem]), all of which are tending downwards, and some items like tallow, have fallen very heavily. Gutter anc cheese are the only two Commodities that are still realising fair prices, the former because of the Imperial purchase, and the latter because of some very stupid optimism on the part of buyers at the beginning of the dairy season. After the end of March butter will slump in London and cheese will do the same. Plainly stated, the artificial prosperity we enjoyed during the war time and almost up to about foiu 01 five months ago has ceased, and we aie now faced with a position that may become very serious if we foolishly let matters slide along, and shelter ourselves in a fool’s paradise. It is necessary to carry a fair amount of optimism, luit let us not on that account close our eyes to obvious facts. The times call for economy both public and private, and in neither direction can anything hut extravagance he observed. Mr Massey keeps on shouting that the country is sound, and the Government is economical, but facts, patent facts, go a long way to disprove these statements and discredit the claims. The expenditure of the Government is heavier than in the war period, and the Government offices are still overrun like rabbit warrens. The fact tuat the departments have been directed to prepare balance sheets on a commercial basis is by no means an indication of economy. The extravagance of the Government is coming home to the people, and it is a humiliating fact that many business people will have the greatest difficulty in meeting their income-tax payments. Then, as regards private oxtrava. game, who is there that has curtailed expenditure to any extent. Some few who arc threatened with unemployment are thinking of economy now, blit the majority of the people are as extravagant as ever. To make up for the loss of income owing to the tall in Liie prices

of produce it is imperative thal production should bo increased and this is no merely the farmer’s job, blit tile job of every one. The conditions existing af the moment demand that everyone should work and work hard. \ro we doing that? Arc we doing 7-3 per cent of the normal work that we are capable of doing? It is at a serious crisis like this that the watersiders indulge in tool tactics, and the coal miners adopt a truculent attitude. It is as well to realise that if we do not ourselves do our utmost to stave off depression, or t° minimise its effects, nature will take full revenge.

Perhaps it requires a severe lesson to bring us all to our senses. 1 nfortunaLely the burden and distress will fall heavily on the women and children When men are out of work the women suffer. There is unemployment m New Zealand, and ii iias been greatly increased through the waterside workers, because those in no wav connected with the dispute have been thrown out of work. It is not yet too late to make a strong effort to deal with the situation, but there is very little hope ol anything being done while the Bolsheviks have control of the workers.