The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1926. LABOR PROBLEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1926. LABOR PROBLEMS.

In tile course of an interesting lecture before the Workers’ 'Educational Association . l’rofcssor Murphy of Wellington, referred to some problems of labour, and dealt with the important question of efficiency. “The problem of efficiency of labour,” said the lecturer, “must be treated with regard to production, in supplying the material wants of the community and depends ;on seven main factors: (1) Proper balance between population and environment. (2) Efficiency of State organisation. (3) Temperament of the community. (4) Employer capacity, (o) Employee capacity, (ti) Education and leisure. (V) Wise expenditure of the resources of the community. Those must be dealt with one by one. To maximise welfare the population must bo in adjustment to the resources—neither too sparse nor too dense. Tf too sparse, efficient organisation and maximum efficiency are not secured, and there is waste of potential resources. If too dense, the population presses on the soil, and the standard of life falls, because there are too many guests at nature’s table. Both sparse and overcrowded countries arc always poor. Efficiency of State covers stable and permanent political conditions, for re. volutions and frequent changes are disturbing to economic life. In New Zealand there has been only onei change of government in 34 years, and this is an element in our prosperity as it diffuses a feeling of security. Cheap, certain and speedy legal machinery is also important, especially for enforcing contracts, and this is a labour-saving device. Also « stable currency system, for a depreciating standard paralyses business and kills saving. Another poihit to ibe considered is an absence of taxation that is oppressive, otherwise the business man will not undertake constructive work in anticipating the future if lie is deprived of the prospect of reward for risks, and allowed only the certainty of lots instead of profits. Accumulated profits mean more capital, lower interest rates, less unemployment, higher wages, more goods and lower prices. A high level of commercial morality is also included under this heading.” In discussing temperament of the community, the lecturer said: “Methods of producton are extremely sub-divided and spread over a long period, and they require lengthy team work. This demands honesty, steadiness, toleration, conciliation. and good temper, docility and good-will, and submission to discipline. It takes brains, character, and good-will for team work, and when these cannot be developed modern industry cannot take root, and production drops off when they fall into a Iterance owing to bitterness in the community. The goslow policy ns a weapon of war reduces production to an enormous extent. It is idle to blame either employer or worker fr it. as the former is enlpahle for the irritation that started it and the latter for carrying it on. It is the worst blot on British industrial society at the present time, and means less profits, therefore less capital, less demand for labour, lower wages, more unemployment, goods and services. higher price and increased cost of living. An employer to he an economic success must have the best qualities of the general imagination, judgment, courage, prudence, administrative ability, for he is the true eo-ordinator of the labour of others and his mistakes may neutralise the productivity of countless special work r

ers. He must organise and put men where they will do the best work, he should have good judgment of inventions, processes, and exports; possess bold prudence and knowledge of men, and appreciate the advantages of science, both natural and social. ]t is very essential that an employer should be able to organise on maximum efficiency lines. British industry does not reach this standard, and the present deplorable coal position is largely due to defective entrepreneur ability. Employee capacity covers moral qualities and intelligence treated under other headings, and also depends on race and climate. The people of the temperate zones are the most productive under present conditions, for it requires moderate hut changeable climate without extremes of heat or cold, preferably between 40 and 55 degrees of latitude, and near the sea. Groat industrial civilisations do not exist out of the temperate zones. In the tropics man is enervated because life is too easy, while at the Polos he is torpid because life is too hard. Monotonous toil dulls the mind and makes bad workers' ahd had citizens, thus causing unrest. It is the hope of reward that sweetens labour and slave labour is never efficient. The econmnic benefits of education in its ■Wider and fuller ncnse are incalculable. It stimulates mental activity and curiosity, and promotes intelligence and character. Knowledge is power and it is also freedom. By it latent ability is brought to light ami processes and industrial methods diffused. It shortens the period of training and enables less superintendence to he used, while saving waste of materials and facilitating the effective working of complex machinery. It provides a species of vocational test and eliminates misfits, at the same time promoting harmony and lessening the grip of economic and other superstitions.” At the same time there were some disadvantages arising out of education, as much of what passed for learning was a useless waste of energy, and the minds of the people became standardised. All might read but few are willing to think. An increase in the education of the masses also tended to congest the non-pro-ductive avenues of employment. “Spending money is not necessarily good for the trade,’* eoptinued the speaker, “and luxurious expenditure by the rich does not help the poor, ns it injures them hv withdrawing capital and labour from works ol necessity to works of luxury, thus maxing necessaries more scarce. lor production there must he some idea of social trusteeship of wealth, for private property could not he left at the mere whim of the owners to destroy or not as they please. Unless it is conserved and socially employed production and the nation will decay.”