STANDARD OF LIVING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3324, 31 October 1919, Page 4

STANDARD OF LIVING.

-—-:————o—:.—:-% IS IT TOO HIGH‘?

SIR JOHN FINDLAY «'3 OPINION.

In an address last week Sir John Findlay, after referring to the high price of living, reduced production, Waste in quality, quantity, and occupation, of “that total of vital human energy which is the priceless asset of a nation,” said that such v.‘:lste spelt reduced production and increased cost of living. He then ‘went on to speak of the standard -of living regarded and required as satisfactory by the people. “It. is quite clear,” said Sir John, “that if the standard of living for the mass of the people which to-day prevails in, say Japan or Fthizia, were the accepted and prevailing standard of living in New Zealand. there would be no such thing :88 the problem of the cost of living here, because it cannot be disputed that the remuneration of our workers would be adequate tor that low standard. But we in this country would rightlydeem such a standard not only uufitting !3-Ild iusuiiicient for our fihysical health and vigour, but as a ‘disgrace to -our civilisation. You cannot get that higher development of intellectual and moral character which we associate witlrtrue national progress without such a standard of living"of the masses as will give seine variety to the interests, tastes, find plO2‘l%£ll‘€S of life. “The standard, of course, may be placed too high, and there is not -a little justifieation for the criticism that some of the complaints we hear are rather against the cost of living. Many attempts have been made to prescribe the elements which should. constitute a re-nsonable standard of Comfort for the mass -of the civilised people; but it seems to me that the standard is quite beyond any exact definition_ Notwithgtgmding this fact, however, it may be confidently iclaimc-(1 that the ‘ rewards mid wages of labour of the great mass of the people in this country are mot adequate for the perm:n:ont maintenance of that standard of comfort xghich a Deople living in a countiy so ricfin all natural I'(‘,So‘.ll‘C‘.“-S as thiq are reasonably ontitled to expect.-”