UNEMPLOYMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 21093, 27 May 1930, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT.

To the Editor. Sir, —There is no doubt the root cause of unemployment and general dissatisfaction throughout the world is costly administration and until it is reduced there can be no reduction in the cost of living or wages, which if kept at the present level with foodstuff being rushed out of the country and not being replaced, must inevitably lead to starvation or civil war. While the number of producers predominated and the man on the land could produce sufficient for his needs and the incubus he had to carry for other people, the merchant .was satisfied because he could restrict distribution and fix prices to suit his own ends. Now, however, we have crossed the Rubicon and with the adverse balance the worker refuses the added bulden, repudiating liability for his brother’s maintenance, at the same time importuning the government for work at arbitration rates on the same basis enjoyed by public servants. The railway is another contributing factor, as in addition to being heavily overstaffed, it absorbs annually approximately 1000 youths who otherwise would be driving teams to produce foodstuffs instead of flogging a dead horse which never paid and has no hope of paying as at present constituted; yet the remedy is simple. If the Government instituted a ’bus passenger service (or better still, allowed someone else) reserving the rails for goods only, eliminating road opposition and conflicting interests, there would be a handsome profit to disclose instead of the huge deficit hitherto shown, and the possibilities of retrenchment are unlimited. The existing coaches could, at little cost, be converted into sheep waggons of which there is a shortage, thereby prolonging the life of the other rolling stock while the Empire hangs together. To minimize the effect and prevent undue hardship I would suggest the reopening and carrying out of the canal scheme between Invercargill and the Bluff, allowing seasonal workers to come and go at will, thereby making Invercargill not only the second largest but the most prosperous city in the Dominion, and being optimistic, I sign myself , SPERO MELIORA.