Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1939. THE NEED OF GETTING TOGETHER.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1939. THE NEED OF GETTING TOGETHER.

AS has been emphasised at a number of recent, conferences, economic and industrial conditions are developing in thii country which do not in themselves promise well for its future and certainly will not assist it to make a worthy use oi its energies either in prosecuting the war or in coping with tic problems of readjustment and reconstruction which will arise when the war has come to an. end. Looking, lor example, at what has been said of late on behalf of farmers, manniactiiieis and employers generally, it. would appear tnat we are lulling into a state of increasing economic, confusion. Representatives of the dairy industry are declaring at present with all possible emphasis that their industry is being loaded with excessive and unwarranted costs and asked to increase production while it is denied a lair price lor its products At the same time, the current restrictions on imports are a subject of bitter protest, not only by trading importers, but by manufacturers. The burden of an address by Mr \v. 11. Stevens, president of the Wellington Manufacturers Association, at the annual meeting of that organisation, was that restrictions on the importation of materials were preventing an expansion of production that otherwise would be assuied in industries now employing over 71,000 workers and probably affording a livelihood io 200,000 souls. Farmers, manufacturers and other business men meantime agree in complaining that the high level ol internal costs in the Dominion in relation to the prices obtained for exports tends to throttle production. Even in their purely economic aspect, and apart from the political issues that also are occasioning much bitter feeling and contention, a number of the problems now forcing themselves on attention appear individually to defy solution. The facts definitely suggest the need of a broader approach to these problems than is now commonly made. They suggest, that is to say, the need for co-operation between the different sections of the community—farmers and manufacturers, employers and employees —in place of attempts by each section to entrench itself in a private stronghold of its own. Ideas of this kind are very much in the air just now, but are apt to be dismissed by a good man) people as excellent in theory, but not of much use in practice.. It is assumed very commonly that there are insuperable obstacles to the establishment of a practical basis for economic co-operation. That assumption, however, is distinctly open to question. A practical suggestion and one that in itself should do a good deal to open the way Io broad-based co-operalion was nnade by Mr Stevens in the address mentioned above. Observing that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance would prove themselves to be statesmen if they would sink their political prejudices for the duration of the war and appoint a board of men experienced and successful in finance and business to advise the Minister of Finance on the many intricate problems related to his office. Mr Stevens suggested that the main problems a board thus constituted should consider were: — (1) The increasing of primary production to support England in her war efforts by the proper utilisation of the man-power, much of which is employed on public works, public buildings, whether useful and necessary, or otherwise. (2) The conserving of London exchange by making available to manufacturers all materials necessary to meet the shortage caused by the restriction of imports of manufactured goods. (3) The reduction of imports for governmental purposes. This would mean the reduction of many State activities, including the building of Government buildings, including palatial broadcasting studios —and a consequent saving of overseas funds. It would no doubt be right and necessary that the proposed board should include representatives of the workers, as well as of those who are engaged in organising and directing productive enterprise in its various branches and developments. It might be hoped that a board constituted on these lines and entrusted, as tin advisory body, with the task of shaping and co-ordinating the economic policy of the Dominion, would be able to do a great deal towards clearing up the existing confusion. The competitive assertion and more or less inconclusive discussion of sectional grievances is hardly likely to lead to tiny good end. Ear more is to be hoped from methodical efforts to organise the total productive energies of the Dominion to the best national advantage. I’ast experience has demonstrated sufficiently that mere economy by cutting expenditure is no remedy for such problems as are now developing. What is needed is rather a wisely directed expansion of effort. A policy of that kind can hardly be approached or promoted more hopefully than by calling upon the best available technical knowledge and experience.