WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1971, 1 May 1919, Page 2

WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Thy first meeting of the class in Economies recently formed uhder the Workers’ Educational Association, took place on Friday last. Ills Worship the Mayor took the chair, and introduced the tutor, Mr G. M. Henderson, M.A. The subject of the lecture,..which was of a semipublic character, was “The Need for Economic Studv.”

In his remarks, the speaker said the end of the great war has brought ail the nations of the world I hat lay claim to the ambiguous, or badly defined, term “civilised,” to a turning point in their existence which demands a serious examination into the social and political' condition of their peoples. The drastic test of war has itself settled many controversies and upset many promising theories. In spite of the terrific destructive power of modern machinery and chemistry, the issue of a war between equally industrialised countries still seems to depend largely on the question of manpower and food supply. Although we are the victors in the struggle, our resources in men, material and food have been depleted to a dangerous stale of exhaustion. It will bo many years before the populations of Europe will recover from the evil effects of disorganisation of industry and famine. One reassuring fact has been established ivhieli is, that the whole llower of European manhood can be withdrawn from industry and employed in the most wholesale destruction of manufactured commodities for four years without causing universal starvation. This proves that the problem of production has been solved, with ;1 handsome margin. There remains the sister problem of distribution, the question of how every member of the community is to have his wants adequately supplied. If wo could look forward to a long period of peace, the problem, so far as it affects New Zealand, at all events, would be much simplified. As a food-producing country, New Zealand would probably he assured of a prosperous future, in which the task of the economist would be to provide for a fair distribution of the fruits of this prosperity among all sections of the community. Are we, however, going to have a prolonged peace? Has this war ended war? Is (he League of Nations going to settle the problem? As a student of history the speaker said he saw little cause to hope for a permanent settlement. In spite of all the high ideals and disinterested motives with which the Allied nations -professed to wage this war, the Peace Conference appears to bear a strong family resemblance to the peace conferences of the past. It looks, said the speaker, a I this distr ance. much like a game of grab; and the very possibility of a League of Nations is jeopardised by the wrangling of file delegates of tluj Powers.

The speaker proceeded to deal briefly with the future prospects of hew Zealand in peace and war; the danger of isolation in war; the need for education in a democracy; the

need for reform in many of our Slate enterprises, and especially tin: value of economic study among llm people. They should, he said, all least make a systematic study ot| some subject in order that they might think connectedly and logicalV. | J

New Zealand was a country rich in its present wealth, rich in the .fertility of its soil, the beneficence of its climate, (he intelligence find industry of its people, and in the extent of its, as yet, undeveloped resources. It was necessary that its people should he aide In judge what is best for their own and their* country's prosperity. .Industrial history, concluded the speaker, would show them what had been I lid various stages in economic progress. Economies would teach them the present position. This would help them to judge whether a proposal is progressive or retrograde.

A vote of thanks, moved by thu Chairman, was carried by acclamation.