PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19888, 18 May 1936, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents, whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear.

JOINT SERVICE. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I would like to endorse what “Ezra” said in Thursday’s paper. I, too, attended the meeting in Alexandra Hall, and thought what a great atmosphere prevailed, because we were “all one." My opinion is that if we are seeking a blessing we will not get it in full measure until the divisions are broken down and we are prepared to join in one big family. I would like to see others take up this suggestion and, as “Ezra” says, “become one big family, at least once a quarter.”—l am, etc. , EAGER. Newstead, May 16.

A FORGOTTEN STREET. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Some months ago nearly 40 residents and ratepayers of Myrtle Street, Claudelands, petitioned the Borough Council asking that immediate steps be taken to provide decent footpaths and kerbing and channelling down this road, which is thickly populated and has been consistently overlooked for years. I understand the petitioners were told that the street would be on the next list of works- However, month® drag by and the dust of summer has given way to the mud of winter in Myrtle Street. The manner in which this matter is shelved year after year is unpardonable, especially when the huge sums paid in rates annually by these ratepayers are contemplated.—l am, etc., EMBITTERED. Claudelands, May 16.

MOTOR LICENSES. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Pamphlets requesting motorists to bring their motor re-licensing forms to the office of a certain- insurance company have, during the past few days, been placed in motor vehicles parked in the local streets. Strong exception has been taken by the Department to the following words, which appear on the pamphlet: “Why wait at the Post Office for hours?” and the matter has been taken up by the Department with the company which issued the pamphlet* For the past two years the relicensing of motor vehicles in Hamilton has, during the last weeks in May, been undertaken at the local Drill Hall by a staff specially provided to cope adequately with the work. This year similar facilities have been provided. With a view to ensuring that the re-licensing of motor vehicles will be handled promptly and with the least possible inconvenience to motorists special arrangements in this regard have been made throughout the Hamilton postal district. —I am, etc., W. P. ALDRIDGE. Chief Postmaster. Hamilton, May 15.

HAMILTON AND RADIO. (To the Editor.) Sir, —There was a good deal in a suggestion made in your columns the other day that a movement should be ! started in Hamilton for the establish- | ment of a B class broadcasting station, j Such would not only be a cultural ! asset to the whole of the Waikato, j but would serve particularly to put i Hamilton on the map (and heaven 'knows that is badly needed). .1 ; agree with your correspondent that } it would be desirable for the concern I ; to be quite divorced from advertising j ]or commercial firms- There must be f : thousands of listeners all over the j j Waikato willing to pay a moderate : I subscription to a radio club; money ; from this source, coupled with a ! Government subsidy, should be • adequate to finance the scheme, j whioh, of necessity, would start j modestly. What return would mem- j bers get for their subscriptions? • Well, they would have their own local j station at which lectures and items of interest to the Waikato would be featured. In addition, I have no doubt that special request programmes | would be organised, and, if finances ' permitted, the microphone might even be carried to various local functions. When it is realised that many towns in New. Zealand and Australia are well known largely through their 13 I stations it behoves Hamilton people to J wake up and move. Probably a good j step would be to call a public meeting ! of listeners and ascertain the extent j of the support likely to be forth- ; coming.—l am, etc., TWO-WAVE. j Glaudelands, May 16.

THE WELFARE LEAGUE. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The reply of the New Zealand Welfare League dated May 13 is truly illuminating. The first letter of the League was upon the statement of Mr Hunter, hut this statement introduced the important question of banking policy and practice, which subject is of vital importance to the community, seeing that the system has brought the world, including New Zealand, to > chaos. A blight upon humanity. Regarding the second point, I have , closely followed the League’s correspondence during the past ten years, ( and never have they given the public a lead in progressive thought; rather they have used destructive criticism of any suggestions for the benefit of all. | They will support the upper strata of j society, the selfish industrialist, the ! money-maker, sheltered politicians, etc-; but suggest improvement in the

living of the common people and they hide behind the shibboleths of old traditions and prejudices. They cry, "Where is the money to come from?” or “The reform will lay heavy burdens of taxation upon the community." As to the title of the League, they do support the welfare of the comfortable and respectable, but never the welfare of all. As to the public debate, under proper conditions, the result can show a correct verdict; the League dare not accept such a verdict upon tlie present banking system or eonomics. Lei the League change their title to “Die-hard Tory League” land they would then ring true.—l am, WATSON HOLMES. Hamilton, May to. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In reply to the Welfare League’s letter of May 15, in regard to the shocking industrial conditions under which hundreds of girls are working in New Zealand, the League has only to make inquiries- in Wellingj ton and it will hear of plenty to keep •it busy "doing what it can to help.” The conditions as to wages and hours of these girls have been described as a disgrace lo the nation and such as wreck the health of the future mothers- of this country.—l am, etc., ADVANCE N.Z. Hamilton, May 15,

THE LAND PROBLEM. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent "Lucre” asks if there is any significance attached to ttie power of land-holding to-day. Yes; it was significant in Auckland city a few weeks ago to the extent of an intending user of land having to pay at the rate of £IOOO per foot frontage for bare land, without improvements, this value being the open market rate, and above all existing rates and taxes. The last published figures I saw in respect of Hamilton worked out at £64,000 per acre for bare land.

T. E. McMILLAN. Matamata, May 16.

As to “single tax,” that is merely a fiscal scheme, and may exist side by side with true taxation, such as income tax, tariffs, wages tax and many others- Land restoration is different, being a matter of social morality, and the advocates of this reform would abolish all taxes, single and otherwise, using the rentals on the social values of land and of the natural products (royalties) for revenue.

We are opposed to the “socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange,” and would socialise the land rentals and the royalties only; that is, purely social values would be socialised; individual earnings would be left sacredly to the individual and not taxed in any way, directly or indirectly. Land restoration advocates are also opposed to the State controlling any industries, primary or secondary. We would remove all tariffs, give a free and fair field and no favour; and that is the one and only way to determine what are and what are not “economic” industries.

1 notice that in the report of the recent land and property sale in Auckland the sale price of the property is given, but it is stated that the “price given for the land is not disclosed.” I am using the word ‘’‘property” in its old and correct legal sense of improvements, as distinct from land; and I think the Government ought to reintroduce that one-time legal distinction; also make all purchase prices of land public, for these are public, or people, values. It seems that vested interests are becoming scared, and the J old policy of “keeping it dark” is being i observed in respect of the prices paid j for bare land in the cities. What is i paid for buildings and other improvements is a purely private matter.—l am, etc.,

GUARANTEED PRICES. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I Relieve that the Government are making an honest attempt to put the dairy farmer on his feet. I feel sympathetic towards them because they are trying to do something instead of silting back in the breeching like the last Government- I have no doubht that they will give us a price that will look quite attrative as far as New Zealand is concerned. What I am afraid of is that they will destroy our only market, which is Great I Britain.

The trouble with us is due entirely I to the disequilibrium in price between : the primary and secondary products j—in fact, the world's troubles are l due to the same cause. Now my idea | is that this trouble should be put i right by reducing the high prices lor j secondary products. So as not to re- ! duce the standard of living of the ! people as a whole, the first step to • be taken is to reduce the cost of living (go that we can reduce the money I wage paid for all labour and services. Plenty means low prices, and we live in an age of plenty. If we were self-contained it would j be immaterial whether equilibrium I were restored by reducing the high j price or raising the low price. Since j we are pre-eminently an exporting ! country it is essential that the cost of ' our exports be kept down to the I lowest possible level so that we can j successfully compete with each and all other countries who are sending their products in to the British market. The late Government grasped this point, and they reduced wages, interest and rents, but they raised taxation and the cost of living. The factors that control the cost of commodities, sold within New Zealand, are exporting prices and Hie importing cost- The export price controls the price of all j our primary products and the import price controls the price of all our j secondary products. The late Go- | vernment at first made no attempt to I raise the low price of exports, but they definitely increased the price of jail secondary products by imposing a the case of dutiable goods and 3 per cent, primage on all free goods. The consequence of that increase in price was lo reduce at once the turnover of all dealers, merchants and manufacturers, both wholesale and retail. As less goods were required fewer workers were wanted, in both factories and distribution. Unemployment at once followed, and as the unemployed had no purchasing power the trouble was continually increasing. Later they (the then Government) did away with the 9/40 lax and increased the exchange from 10. per cent, to 25 per cent., which increased the import cost verv considerably. Had I he late Government, w hen they made the other reductions, reduced Customs duty on the necessaries of lifts and production by half (leaving

or even reducing the taxes on luxuries) half our troubles would never have occurred. Tlie mistake the present Oo\eminent are making is that they do not grasp the fact that it is the disequilibrium of prices that is causing the trouble. They seem to think that they can restore prosperity, by. a. pro rata increase of payment all round. The effect of this all-round increase is that we shall have the same old trouble on a higher price level- The I farmer is going to get a guaranteed j price which . will be higher than I world’s parity warrants, but as against this his costs are to be so | raised that I doubt that, he will be any I better off. ! The greatest danger I see, however, is that we ave going to make exporting j more difficult, owing to higher costs imperil U o°ur° only market by refusing to take payment, in goods. The Government are pledged lo support New j Zealand manufacture of secondary | “economic” production, hut no industry is economic when it cannot exist without tariff protection. If we make I lie goods here we cannot also import, them, and since } exports can only he paid for by imports how arc we going to be paid? If we are not going lo he paid, how I long can we continue to export?—l I am. etc., FRANK COLBECK. j Morrinsville, May S