The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) RETARDAY, OCTOBER 16th, 1923. RETARDING DEVELOPMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) RETARDAY, OCTOBER 16th, 1923. RETARDING DEVELOPMENT.

I.v another column to-day there is an artide worth reading culled from the pages of the latest issue of the Mercantile Gazette. It takes for its text the Economic Conference, now sitting in London, but diverges over the whole field of colonial politics. The deductions which are reached, suggested from the remarks of some of the Premiers, are well worth conning over. A good deal of the conclusions arrived at are applied appropriately to New Zealand, and it is hoped the article in question is well circulated enough for every part of the Dominion to sit up and take notice of it. Special reference is made to the subject of Government control in this country—-which has exceeded all reasonable bounds. The Massey Government. as is pointed out by the writer cf the article, labors under tho delusion that war-time conditions are suitable for peace times, and the people as a whole are being penalised by the imposts put upon them through restrictive control. Enterprise is restricted and industry is harrassed from the same cause, and the general effect upon labor and employment is altogether to the detriment of national development by blocking capital being used for a 1

further expansion of trade in the vnriJ ous commodities which the country can profit most from. A reference is made to the policy advocated by the Prime Minister of Canada, who believes that tlio control of industry should he in the hands of the people who put their capital into it. So with the Premier (or, should wo not say, the Dictator) of Italy mice a rabid Socialist w ho has seen the error of his views—who now advocates tile abandonment of State control, or, what he appropriately styles State partueralism. Probably one of tlie worst examples of State control in this country is in regard to the forests. The ‘‘control” is developing into a most restrictive State monopoly, and in the process, a very expensive State department is being created which is eating up the asset value of the commodity it professes to “control.” 1 lie Department threatens to “control” private enterprise out of existence, and in the process, is taking every opportunity to squeeze more in rovilty out of the users of the timber, while at the same time a Deprtmeut is being puffed up "hich so far lias become famous for its grandiloquent reports. A series of articles on the last precious report is current ill this pii]>er. and to-day there is a little light thrown on the Department's idea of conducting a forest experiment station. After “many alarms and exclusions” (literally both) there is a station in being in AA'estland. It has a tool shed erected upon it. There seems to bo> a serious omission in the repott that this precious tool shed is not illustrated! Also fencing posts etc., were cut off the area. Tt was kind of Dame Nature- to thus anticipate the advent of the Department, hut thanks are not expressed to the benevolent Providence which foresaw what was to he. The Department appears to be playing with tho great work of reafforestation in a inert expensive manner. The very methods which are pursued nro retarding dcvelopemiit, just as tho Department’s methods affecting the sawmilling industry generally are retarding the full development of the trade this district could eopo with. A most grievous injury is being don e the development of Westland by the restrictive policy of the Forest .Service. This is a restatement of a fact emphasised before, i>nt it seems necessary to re-cmpliasiso the position at. this juncture, when in other parts of New Zealand, commercial minds are at last beginning to realise tlie fateful effect of the policy of the Massey floveimneiit in regard to the restrictive class of legislation it is mi prone to further while tlie people ieniain. as the Mercantile Gazette, says, ‘‘childish.”