The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1915. THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1915. THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Stratford Patriotic Committee, the question of the effect recruiting is having upon the manning of the dairy factories was ventilated. t It was rightly described by the chairman as an important question, and one that must be faced at once, Already /a good many factory hands have left for the front, and if the exodus continues factories will be considerably hampered. The crisis through which we are passing calls for sacrifice on the part of all sections of the public. The one bi.i; thing that matters is the winning of the war. To that end everything must be subordinated. To do so, men and still more men are needed. But they require to be fed and clothed, and New Zealand must do its best to keep its primary industries going; indeed, it should endeavor to increase production. AW cannot allow dairy factories to close down on account of the scarcity of skilled labor, which should, be retained. But a proportion of the factory labor is not highly skilled, and no doubt substitutes could be found. Wo have to face the position that to keep up our strength in the field our manhood resources will by the end of next year be severely taxed, and that theTc is going to be very considerable dislocation in our industries. All industries will suffer, and suffer severely, but care should bo taken to maintain the' primary industries, which mean everything to' us. There are many men employed in non-productive industries whose places could temporarily be taken by boys and girls and old men. and the men released for war service or for manning the primary industries. This fact is gradually forcing itself upon us all, but we cannot afford to wait further —we should meet it at once. If things are allowed to drift as tbey b»ve been drifting; if we go

on working on no definite plan; if no discrimination is exercised in what are essential industries and non-essential industries, we will very shortly be landed into serious trouble. The whole economic . question might well occupy the attention of our legislators. For one thing, the arbitration and conciliation machine might well be given a rest. Awards might be suspended to allow of the employment of boys and* girls to take the place of men during the war. A council, with advisory local provincial'committees, could be set up to deal with the whole economic position. For instance, in the case of staffing dairy factories, a Taranaki committee could advise the central council upon the inadvisability of accepting as recruits skilled men whose services are needed at the factories, or the committee could recommend local bodies to allow their staffs to help' farmers to get in their crops at harvest time, rs suggested by the chairman of the Taranaki County Council at Tuesday's meeting. Such a provincial committee could make itself very useful, and as for the central committee, it would have ample opportunity for serving the country, as besides the present dislocation, which mußt daily grow worse, there will be the inevitable dislocation at the end of the war to face and deal with. Meantime, the leading men of the dairy industry in Taranaki could advantageously meet and discuss the problem confronting them, and make strong representations to the Government to take immediate and effective action regarding the whole economic situation, the seriousness of which can hardly be exaggerated. It is important enough to justify the holding of a special session. There are many difficulties in the way, we know, but judging by what the enemy has done and is still doing in organising its economic resources these difficulties can be successfully surmounted.