EFFICIENCY.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1926, Page 4

EFFICIENCY.

AUSTRALIA'S NEED. SYDNEY, March 19. In several speeches lately, the beads of the Federal Government, the Prime Minister, Air Bruce, and the Treasurer. Dr Earle Page, have emphasised the greatest need of Australia as efficiency in production, transport, and marketing. In his latest important speech, that before the annual conference of the Associated Chain!M-i s of Commerce of Australia in Sydney this week. Air Bruce laid it down that “the gosjxd of efficiency should bo ■preached fljy every Australian who loves his country and desires to see it great in the future, and the people happy and prosperous” In this speech, Air Bruce dealt with the question of efficiency from three different standpoints, efficiency in production. in transport, and in marketing. He indicated that the first-nam-ed was necessary if full advantage was to he taken of the artificial aids to industry, such ns tariffs, bounties, and subsidies. In regard to the second. he emphasised how Ids Government was endeavouring to aid transport bv its national policy, and by solving the break of gauge railway problem, end hinted that further efforts to simplify transport, would be made by asking the State Governments’ co-operation in alleviating the charges on shipping by harbour and port dues. He particularly attacked the system by which all the commerce flowed through flic- enpital cities. In regard in marketing. Air Bruce said thal producers and distributors were valuable national assets, but. added that, the present- method of distribution was based on a wrong principle, a- it was more designed to serve the interests' of the speculator than to conserve tho rights of ihe producer and consumer, and to ensure a fair return to the legitimate disribuior. “I ask for your co-operation and the assistance of your great organisation.” coni lulled Air Bruce. “I ask you to give a lead to the nation. 1 ask you to giro (hat lead down linos that will ensure tin- benefit of the whole of tho people, and in doing so be forgetful of your own individual and personal interests.” TRADE AND POLITICS. It was interesting to compare Air Bruce’s remarks with those of Sir benon Raws (president of tlir* Ale]. liouriu- Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Chambers), made an hour or two before, the Prime. Alinister's. Tin- f'-amiv of his iubh'e.xs was his emphasis of ihe need for disentangling Undo -i-nil finance from polities. ‘‘lf condition; have reached a stage in Australia,” he said, ‘"bit demand an increasing degree of Government interference; if we have the conception that progress can come from inhibition, from the elimination or restriction of the more enterprising and effi-

cient. by the substitution of bureaucracy for private enterprise, then we have Inst Hie virile spirit of our forefather-. and are being drugged into lethargy by false prophets. There is nothing react binary in combating these tendem-ie-: there i- nothing an-ti-social. Those .who are a-nti-soeial are those who aie spreading the doctrine-. licit, biiream-raev can bring a'amt belter eondiiious than can be achieved by personal initiative and enterprise. I hey di.'uri attention from tin- real problem- or think that a bigb -landard of living can lie minim allied v. ii bom lii-_i.li pi-noiial eliieiemy all along ibe line. Sm-|i idea's are pari, of the legacy of He- war. when everyone came under ibe drill-sergeant, v ken efficiency was .sieritieed to regi-ur-iitat io-ii, when b-n rea aeraey ruled s upreme. There was. .-‘id sir l.ennon Raws, continual dissatisfaction in both primary and secondary industries, and - '-Ol e- eomphiiol- an-.-e i I'- 1 1-.i Governments. Higher eo.-i- ol production were due in part to the operations of Arbitration Conns, excessive taxation and In increased costs of Government services. Referring to the dairying industry, he said that the problem lii dairying was the educating of ibe dairvn(iu to cultivate bis land properly, to improve the standard of his herds, in feed them properly. and to increase their productivity. Mas there, he asked, the remotest connexion between tla-se problems and sisdiilisaiiou schemes. <-x----fi'ni't control hoards. and bonuses? Were those who .advocated such schemes true friends of the dairyman -were they not his enemies, been use they diverted his attention from tho real problem ?