CONDITIONS AT HOME

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1921, Page 2

CONDITIONS AT HOME

MR P. R. SARGOOD’S IMPRESSIONS. AUCKLAND, Dec. 19 Observations in connexion with liis visit to England were made to-day by Mr P. R. Sargood, of Dunedin, who returned by the Niagara after an absence of nearly two years from the Dominion. During the time he was in England Mr Sargood noticed a great change in the spirit of the people. The country was passing through one of ** the greatest industrial crises in its history, and economic changes were very marked. “One of the most important things I noticed,” remarked Mr Sargood, “was the changed attitude bn the part of the public with regard to the Labour extremist. He gets a very poor hearing in England to-day. While I was in England the unemployment problem was at its aeutest stage, over 2,000,000 men being out of work. This brought things home to the people. They came to realise the urgent importance of work, and clamoured for the few jobs offering. Of course, there were many slackers quite willing to live «n the unemployment dole, hut the men for the most part were ready to take anything. There was not anything like the amount of soap-box oratory there has been at similar crises in other years. One did not see very much of the unemployed save in the great procession organised by the Labour people some months ago, and it is doubtful if this was an altogether true reflection of the actual state of affairs. Anyway, unemployment had decreased considerably by the time I left, and tile people were really showing a will to work by accepting lower wages and greater readiness to put their backs into it than they were inclined to do for some time after the end of the war. It was gradually being forced home to them by dire need that this was the only way in which they could save themselves and the country,” After speaking of the damage done

this year by the miners’ strike and the flooding of the mines, Mr Sargood went on to say that it was becoming more and more evident that economic conditions could not be properly restored in England until trade was restored with Germany and Continental markets opened. A large section of the people was strongly opposed to this, and was calling out for protection against Germany, while another section held that it must he restored in order that the reparation money might be obtained. ' “Politically the country was in a turmoil when I left,” said Mr Sargood, “and I do not think it will settlo down until there is a change of Ministry. The Lloyd George Ministry has done good work in some ways, but it has not succeeded in reducing expenditure. Where they lower it in one direction they raise it in another. The present rate of taxation is so high that it is handicapping industry very severe-

ly. Men feel that it is no use expanding business if the Government is going to take all their profits. One interesting but saddening result of the terribly high taxation is to be seen in the increasinly large number of sales of historic and ancestral homes. The estates are gradually being broken up, simply because the owners can no longer maintain them. I believe the Governors of Tasmania, West Australia, and South Australia all recently resigned their appointments, because they are no longer receiving revenue which will enable them to maintain their positions as oven seas Governors.”