PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20267, 9 August 1937, Page 11

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.

FARM LABOUR. (To the Editor.) Sir, —There seems little chance of the working dairy farmer getting a fair deal unless the compensating price or -some other change comes about. The chairman of Te Awamutu Dairy •Company tells us that the guaranteed price is’sufficient where there is no need to employ hired labour. I wonder what Cabinet thinks of this statement. It must be apparent to anyone that If a farmer cannot afford to hire labour and must employ his pwn wife and family in assisting him to carry on, then it Is sweated labour. It surely matters not whether one pays his able-bodied children or other hired labour. In each case the labourer Is, or should be, worthy of his hire. Unless this is possible, then the Government have failed to carry out their pledges. The economio results of these pledges cannot possibly cancel them out.—l am, etc., WATCHFUL. Melville, August 7. THE GOVERNMENT’S REWARD. (To the Editor.) Sir, —One of your correspondents signs himself “Not Again,’’ but it is apparent that his nom de plume should have been “Not Ever." Like a lot of others who write letters to the newspapers, he tries to create the impression that he supported Labour last election but is not going to do so next time. Also, like many others, he picks out one section of a general statement and insinuates that the Labour Party has failed to keep its promises. The pamphlet he refers to contains some sound common sense, and was written to explain Labour’s plan, but (there is a “but’’) it was not meant to convey the impression that the whole of the plan would be completed within three 'years. “Not Again,” however, considers that it should have been carried out within twenty months, which is quite unreasonable, when one considers the havoo that had been caused by previous Governments. For at least seven years the CoatesForbes brigade had been blasting away at the very foundations of our soolal and eoonomio structure, and when Labour took over the Treasury benches they had a pretty mess to clear up. If "Not Again” and others of his Ilk would cast an eye on the good work that has already 'been accomplished by the Labour Government, Instead of searching for faults, which, by the way, are in most cases effects of the maladministration of the previous Government, I feel sure that they \vlll come to realise that the Labour Party are proceeding along the right road to obtain social and economic security for the people, which is desired by all who view matters in a national rather than an individual and selfish light.— I am, etc., PRO PATRIA. Hamilton, August 7. ROAD TRANSPORT. (To the Editor.) Sir, —-The projected expropriation by the Government of many good* motor transport services is causing considerable concern and anxiety to workers engaged in the industry as to their future. Acting on the natural assumption that they had assured positions and reasonable prospects of permanent employment, these workers have settled down, acquired homes and made other financial commitments on-the basis of their present positions and incomes. The Minister of Transport has stated that “the Government is desirous of seeing that no employee will suffer anything in the way of hardship, and every effort will be made to continue the employment of those affected, or, failing that, to provide other work for them.” In his last official pronouncement on the transport question the Minister -stated that the railway service can effectively deal with 90 per oent. of the business at present handled by the goods motor services. This must Inevitably mean that approximately 90 per cent, of the present staffs of the motor transport firms will lose their present jobs. It is Inconceivable that the requirements of the Railway Department, which at the present time is fully staffed, will absorb them all, or even a material proportion of them. Just how and where will these displaced employees be given other jobs, and what sort of jobs, and at what rates of wages? This is the critical question that the employees are looking to the Government to answer, and no answer is as yet forthcoming. At present these workers are engaged in work that demands high qualities of ability, initiative and responsibility, and they arc paid on a scale commensurate with these qualities. Yet the only method so far indicated whereby the Government will redeem its promise to find work for them is through, the Placement Officers, and this position is definitely unsatisfactory. r lthey will find that the jobs available are not suitable to their training and experience. are relatively unskilled work, and carry a lower wage than they have been accustomed to receive. Many of I hem who have established homes and entered into financial commitments m regard to them commensurate with I heir present condition will be forced to migrate to other parts to get work, in all cases it is obvious that considerable delay must elapse before I hey are 1 hsorbed into other avenues of emnlnyirmnt. durimr which time thev will be nut of work. Further, the unemployment position to day must he iaggravated bv the addition of a number or persons whose present jobs are closed down, and when they are placed it mus! lie at tlie expense of existing unemployment. Refore Ihe Government proceeds will, its expropriation policy il is up In the Minister l<‘ slate exaclly wli.at lie proposes to do in I lie way of finding specific work fur the employees displaced. where such work is to be found, what sort of work il will be, and how if will compare in regard lo wages rales with I lie. jobs destroyed ;by the policy of I lie Government.' —Wo X./. TRAN?PORT \LI.IAM.i:. | Wellington, August i.

CHAIN LETTERS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I should like to inform whoever addressed a chain letter to my place In Clarkin Road that It was received at a very opportune time, used for a very suitable purpose, and now lies burled with other garbage until such time as the garbage cart removes it.—l am, eto., SIMON. Clarkin Road, August 7. BRITISH-ISRAEL BELIEF. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In reply to Mr Tidd, I write in a -spirit of faith, hope and love, and Ido not belong to any sect. One must expect the Bible to point out the flaws in any man-made doctrine. Revelation says there are seven world Empires (Egypt, Assyria, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome) —six, and the seventh will rule to the time when the eighth world Empire rules over all the kings of the earth, without exception. “Battleaxe” has been repeated three times, and I answered once. My questions have not been answered. The books mentioned claim the British race to be Israel and the Teutonic races to be Assyria. In which class do they place the Houses of Brunswick, Hanover and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha? The -seven times punishment of Israel (not British-israel) Is a double punishment (see Leviticus xxvi, 21-28 and Jeremiah xvi, 18). The first is symbolic for a period of 2520 years—7 multiplied by 360 days, a day for a year, commencing 606 8.C., and ending in 1914 A.D. The second is for a period of seven years, literally. After seven years’ spell Hitler was persecuting them, in 1932 A.D.—2520 years after the temple was destroyed in 588 B.C. A final deportation of Jews took place in 582 B.C, and 2520 years expires in 1939 A.D., when the double punishment of Israel will be finally ended, and they will not be more.—l am, eto., more.l am, etc., HARRY GORE. Hamilton, August 6. ELECTRICITY PROFITS. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l have noticed in your oolumns several suggestions for the better employment of the profits made by the Hamilton Borough Council through the sale of electricity. None of these appears to me any more Justified than the present system of employing the surplus on kerbing and channelling work, but since there seems to be a rooted objection on the part of the council to adopt the only moral procedure and return profits to the consumers by way of reduced power charges, might I suggest that these profits should be employed to establish a borough-owned refuse collection service. The present system—private contraot for a civio service—i* not satisfactory, and In fairness to the council I believe that this is recognised by them. While I believe that the only proper method of dealing with the eleotrioity profits Is to return them by rebate to consumers—utility services -should not be treated as a source of profit—l think the proposal outlined preferable to the suggested new municipal golf links or the provision of further grandstand accommodation on football, hookey or crioket grounds. Not all consumers of electricity are golfers or football, hockey and cricket enthusiasts. but all are concerned with refuse collection, and it should be placed on a permanent basis.—l am, etc., HYGIENE. Hamilton, August 7. POLITICAL PROGRAMMES. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In my last letter I spoke of the inconsistency in political programmes and speeches of promising more expenditure and less taxation. The thing is a manifest absurdity, but politiieans use the trick successfully, age after age, because the increasing of public expenditure is popular and taxpaying is unpopular. Thus the' politician scores a hit with each barrel. The memory of the public Is very 6hort. As one of the members of the present Government said, apropos the uproar about the B stations: “TheV will forget all about It in three weeks.” Of course I recognise, and admit, the necessity of candidates and parties letting the electorate know what they stand for and what their policy is, but that does not necessarily include the promising of unlimited good things for the electors, provided at their own expense. This is fundamentally nothing but mass bribery, with the proviso, so useful to. I he' bribers, that the bribed foot the bill. This is not reason: this is not common sense; tlds is politics. But logic, reason and common sense plav a very subordinate part on Ihe political stage. Often whilst listening to political ■speeches and marking their inaccuracies, inconsistencies and illogicalities. I have asked myself the question: “Can these fellows reason at all. or are they Just machines for pouring out words?” 1 am sure that any listener with an orderly, logical mind can ask himself much the same questions. But these fellows “put it across.” as the Americans say. One cannot, blame them; they are only meeting the demand, and the only way to improve affairs is to create a demand for heller goods—apparently an impossibility. I .el me illustrate the fact that many people in this Dominion are quite as disgusted with our politics as 1 am. About four vears ago 1 was walking to a football mafeh with four others. The group of live consisted of two professional and three business men, all intelligent and well-read. We discussed polities and the doubtful ,-lianeo nf improving them. At last 1 said: “AYhat we want is to clear Parliament and politicians out of the road for a few years and let a commission run Ihe counlry.” Four universal assents greeted this statement. 1 leave il at that.—l am. etc.. A. WAItBI'ItTU.V Nguruuwuhiu, August 3