The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1919. THE LABOR PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1919. THE LABOR PROBLEM.

The two outstanding features in relation to the labor question in New Zealand are the acute shortage and the dissatisfaction with present conditions. The shortage may be partially relieved by the return of our expeditionary forces, but mainly it can only be overcome by a wisely directed system of immigration. The matter I is one that has not only a social and political bearing, but is also of great economical importance. Temporary expedients merely tide over a crisis for a time and leave the root of the trouble untouched. Let any student of events face honestly and purposefully the reason why Bolshevism in spreading like a virulent jilague, and he can come to no other conclusion than that the propaganda is falling upon fertile soil. If that evil is to be fought successfully—and it must be— there will have to be a

drastic probing of the cause fori the ever-increasing troubles ] among the workers. The doctrines of the extremists will only increase instead of eradicating the evil. What is needed—and urgently needed —is a definite, sane and souud policy thai will lay the foundations of the labor structure on such sympatbeli" -mil safe lines that a new of b' >f> will dawn for the workers, ','•<:•■■ oin they will •have their place in the sua, they will be well housed, their environment greatly improved, and their prospects of independence assured. Continuously increasing wages confer no permanent benefit, for, as Mr. t7ustiee Stringer recently stated in the Arbitration Court, "It is inevitable that tlj.e effect of these increases will be reflected, and probably in a magnified form, in further increases in the cost of living, if the other and more ?■«■ tent factors in raising the. oo;;' ?? living remain in full force." W: cannot, wo are afraid, expect i.h< present Government or the pr;;* ent Parliament to deal with thin great reconstruction policy as it must be dealt with if any permanent benefit is to be obtained. The mass of popular opinion is sympathetic towards the workers as regards all their reasonable demands. The war has inculcated a spirit of humanitarianism and brought into evidence a real fel-low-feeling that resents any injustice or class feeling. There exists a genuine widespread desire to make the lot of the workers not only more endurable, but more healthy, happy, and contented. This can only be achieved by tackling the problem boldly and thoroughly, redressing the existing grievances and giving the workers an incentive to become thrifty so that they can have a real stake in the country as well as improved prospects for themselves and their children. It is a great blot on Dominion politics that the Government has not long since carried out the duty of securing for the workers home 3 worthy of the name. It is impossible to expect contentment under the outrageous conditions of living that a large number of workers now suffer. No matter what the earnings may be, laboring men and their families should have homes that tire at least capable of being made comfortable and sanitary, and in the suburbs and country there should be sufficient ground provided to enable the cost of living to be materially reduced. A vigorous policy of providing homes for workers, together with cheap means of transport, is imperative as the foundation of new conditions of life. It is also the duty of the Government to see that the public are not exploited by unjustifiable increases in the cost of necessary commodities. A comfortable and healthy home will go a long way to produce contentment and to inculcate the virtue of good citizenship and clean living. There is a consensus of opinion in favor of a living wage being paid, and inducements offered to workers to make profitable use of their spare time. The Labor problem and the equally important matter of closer settlement are very closely connected, for a laborer should at least have the opportunity of becoming a settler on the land. There are thousands of acres held in large estates which, if cut up, would be intensely cultivated by those who would work small farms by themselves, and it is retarding the prosperity of the country aa well as of the small settlers to allow these large estates to exist For a long time past the need for a drastic cutting up policy has been great, but it is now becoming acute and insistent. We cannot attempt to remedy the present labor shortage by immigration until the changes we have indicator! have been carried out. Those who recognise the existing evils and remedies see no prospect of improvement- until the present political mismanagers are swept from the positions they have too long cumbered. There are indications that the days of these misfits are numbered. Let us hope they will be replaced by earnest | capable and determined men who will not hesitate to lay the axe to i the root of the tree. It is not the extremists who will solve the labor problem, but the men of broad outlook, keen sympathies and high ideals; men who know how the labor structure should be erected and have the courage to act accordingly. These are the men in whom labor should put its trust and not the extremists, who I onlv alienate support.

The position of the tanner in the Labor movement will be explained by Mr P Fraser at his meeting in the Parish' Hall, Inglewood, to-night (Wednesday). Autumn costume fabrics are always difficult to choose—it's too cold for summer materials, but too warm for thick winter wear. Gabardine is a firm favorite at all seasons of the year and the fine black gabardine cloth now to be seen at Morey's will answer the purpose splendidly. Read about it in Morey's advertisement in this issue. A choice Ngaere dairy farm for sale as a going concern, is advertised on page one, by W. H. and A. McGarry, Eltham.