The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1918. PROTECTING SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1918. PROTECTING SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES.

If the war only lasts sufficiently long there arc prospects that the Dominion Government will, by the time peace is declared, have tackled most of the problems that should have been solved at least two years ago. The latest venture has been to propound a scheme to protect the business of every soldier who gives a power of attorney to a board of trustees, the object being to restrict competition with such a business. Manifestly this belated scheme cannot be retrospective, and as the majority of the Dominion's man-power has already had to sacrifice (in most cases) the business carried on when the reservists were called, it will be only the comparatively few who will benefit by the proposals. It is claimed for the scheme that it is an ingenious one, but very difficult to work, but, even so, it may be .assumed that at this late period of the war the work involved will not be extremely onerous, and the Second Division men who are not yet called up may take advantage of the belated efforts of the Government to protect their interests. As the National Efficiency Board has had a hand in the framing of the scheme, it is not surprising to find that board, in conjunction with the Soldiers' Property Board of Trustees, being entrusted with its administration. The main feature of the scheme is that no person can carry on a business, trade, profession, manufacture, industry or undertaking (other than as an employee) which will compete with the protected business of a soldier. Presumably the Avord "per son" includes a company, and if it docs not the definition .should certainly be amended in that direction. Where licenses are grant ed, provision is made for the payment to the board of sums equivalent to the additional profits derived by the restricted business from the cessation or diminution of the protected business, through the absence of the soldier on service. Bearing in mind that the excss profits tax was jettisoned because of the difficulty in arriving at the amount of taxation, it would hardly seem that a similar experiment in relation to businesses would have any greater success. Considering the sacrifices business men are making for their country by serving in the army, it would not be too much to expect that no loophole should be given for unscrupulous competition in their businesses, and it is quite conceivable that these licenses may prove very unsatisfactory. From a common-sense point of view a reservist's business, carried on by a suitable deputy under the supervision of reliable men appointed by the board, would meet the case far better than taking the risks inherent to licensed competitors, whose interest it would be to make the most they possibly could themselves. Another complication is likely to aiise over the working of the provision for protecting soldiers in or as shareholders of companies, it being stipulated that m the case of a company the business shall be deemed in respect, and to the extent, of the share of the soldier in that company to be a separate business carried on by mm, and may become a protected business accordingly. An arrangement of this "nature is capable of furnishing a prolific crop or litigation which could very well be avoided by far simpler and more effective means that would not interfere either with a partnership or in company operations. It protection is to be real it must be personal, and that is a point which does not seem to have occurred to the framers of the scheme. Admitting that it may not be easy to find reliable business men of leisure to safeguard soldiers interests, it is not impossible to accomplish this if the right steps are taken and red tape eliminated. It is quite conceivable that tiie powers proposed to be vested m the board for inquiring into the scope, conduct and profits of restricted businesses may lead to 1 tS r Iv ' l ! ;hout eliciting the true & at e of: afiairs. The most drastic piOMsion, however, is that which a i Dy nm business being established or carried on by readers, merchants, importers exporters, commission or indent agents, accounts, auditors, land -gents manufacturers, solicitors, medical practitioners or dentists Without the permission of the board. This is placing very large powers an the board's hands, especially as the extension or alteration of an old business, whether as to locality, scope or nature, is included m the definition of a, new business. The scheme has more the appearance of being drawn up by a Parliamentary draughtsman man by business experts, and it an open question whether the simple expedient of pooling prods would not have met the object : view than the elaborate : provisions decided upon. The [whole schemais.,sq- be?

la ted that its provisions may be of no great consequence. At thej same time it is satisfactory to find that at last the Government has realised that soldiers' businesses required protection, but it is not thereby absolved from blame for not attending to this important matter in the early stages of the war, when a satisfactory scheme would have proved a great boon to those who have, in addition to their other sacrifices, been compelled to give up their businesses and let others reap the harvest of their life-long labors.