PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20275, 18 August 1937, 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.

IN ALBERTA.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Social Credit advocates have been well advised not to accept responsibility for happenings in Alberta, happenings over which they have not Hie slightest control. It was fatuous In the extreme for “Cannuck” to make a suggestion that they should. So far as Major Douglas's “retreat" is concerned, I would like to point out that his economic doctrines have become famous because they have shown that it is foolish for trade to languish (till it has war expenditure to stimulate it) and for poverty to abound in a world whose farmers, scientists, engineers and artisans have made plenty available for all; because they have taught that it is possible to bring Into being a money system scientific enough to distribute food and shelter and clothing. Surely there can be only one “Cannuck” stupid enough to suggest that Major Douglas would retreat from such obviou* truths. —I am, etc., INTERESTED. Hamilton, August 17.

BOBBY CALVES

(To the Editor.) *" Sir. —The report of tho train smash on Friday states, inter alia, that the Ilorotlu works were already booked out and could not handle the calves waiting in the trucks for a clear passage to Westfield. Now, Sir, this is most misleading, and what actually occurred should be brought to the notice of the publlo and the farmers whose calves went through the torture of waiting In cramped trucks on sidings, but a mile or two from the yards and slaughterhouses of Horotiu. There 40-odd slaughtermen stood by waiting to deal with these calves, yet the people concerned would not allow them to bo unloaded and slaughtered. Had they been dealt with at Ilorotiu they would all have been slaughtered by six o’clock; instead they did not leave on their journey until 6.45 p.m. When were these calves slaughtered? I think an Inquiry is called for. Horotiu bad “cut out” their own calves by 2 o’clock. Eventually the calves for one Auckland firm were dealt with there, and Hie thanks of everyone interested in humane treatment for these calves is due to them. As for the others concerned, nothing too severe can be said. Think of it, 40-odd slaughtermen standing by waiting, while the calves stood in trucks a mFIc or two away. Is it not a scandal?—l am, etc., ONE WHO STOOD BA'. Claudelands, August 16. THE DREAM ISLAND.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Rather a pity Mr \V. P. Kenah had such a short dream. I am glad ’ the 300 settlers convinced him that ’ Socialism had no place in their -scheme. ' -On landing on this fertile island they immediately set to work, planned ’ out the village and selected a portion for agriculture and other pursuits. ’ They determined there would he no borrowing for public works, schools, wharves, etc. They immediately elected a Social Credit board, which acted as a treasurer to keep in trust the 300 £SO notes that eacli -settler had. Not that the notes were of any use at this stage. The carpenters and builders went to work to construct the housing. Having ample machinery and a good class of timber trees, it was not long before that group were very busy. They all decided on a sixhour day for five days per week to start with (Home was not built in a day). The agriculturists also set to work. They had all up-to-date machinery for pioneer work, and were not long in having a considerable area under cultivation. If was decided dial 2s 0.1 per hour be paid to each worker. There were no debts, no interest of any kind, or taxes to pay. The just price being in vogue, their earnings ' were, ample for all requirements. The Island being most fertile (almost as much as New Zealand), I and no pests other than ragwort and • blackberry, the harvest was abundant. | Wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, peas, beans and numerous oilier foodstuffs 1 produced four times more than they j required. The cows had done well, pigs and sheep likewise, ns most animals will where care and abundant food are bestowed upon them. The credit authority estimated that the production had been £SOO per head, and issued credit to that amount, ‘ £ 150.000. The settlers sent their I potatoes to Australia in exchange for 1 oranges and rice. etc., which they reJ quired but could not grow, just then, j Wheat, peas, beans, etc., they exported disc, there being no duly and inditing other than handling expenses, j The imports sold at just price, made them marvel how much could he bought in exchange for their exports. I However, the seeond season was not so good in product ion, due to a liuitlI cane, hut having paid for all their own Social Credit trading with llieir j own notes (as w* do in New Zealand . j hilt I he notes being issued interest. I Now Mr Kenah is awake, M him I consider this. Had New Zealand ■ j adopted a National Credit Authority :,i> I years ago. erected all its public buildi ings. railways, roads, bridges, schools. - j etc., etc., out or credit issued by them - ’ credit. No more than our New Zen- ’ limes and half pennies than there are K. M. MASTERS. I llillercsl. • August 10.

NATIONAL FINANCE

Sir, —So Mr Hunter is convalescent. He must have a strong constitution, after the gruelling he has suffered at the hands of more than one opponent. Of the advocacy of fixing wages at a level that will stimulate employment and not retard it there surely can be no question, for what sense can there be in forcing an employer to pay a wage that makes his business a loss, and finally leads to the dismissal of his employees? Mr Hunter says the National Government reduced wages. Yes, but only the wages of their own servants, and only to the extent of 2s in the £. Of course, the civil servants complained, although their living costs were down at least 20 per cent. A Government must run its business on business lines—e.g., if the income is not coming in costs must be cut. The civil servants were not hurt in the least by the 10 per cent. cut. The sheep and dairy farmers had their income cut 50 per cent, and even 70 per cent, in the case of wool. Mr Hunter wants me to show that lowering wages increased employment, but as the Government cut only the wages of its civil servants, of course there was neither increase nor decrease of employment—the status quo was maintained. With regard to private employers, they would pay only a wage that their business could stand, and many I know made great sacrifices to keep their employees in work. Of course Mr Hunter Is obsessed with the fallacy of oostless credit, but I should «ay that if, during the depression, wagos had been fixed arbitrarily at, say, 20s a day, there would have been at least 200,000 unemployed instead of 70.000 at the peak period. Lastly, Mr Hunter asks me to Justify the action of the previous Government in allowing machinery to lie idle while men used wheelbarrows. I should say the main reason was to provide work in keeping with limited funds. It Is calculated that on public works the cost is £SOO per year for every man employed. Wages represent half, the balance representing equipment, material and overhead costs. It must be remembered that at th« depth of tlic depression something had to be done, and done quickly. Far too much capital has been made by both tho Labour Party and the followers of Major Douglas out of the depression. In fairness to Messrs Coates and Forbes it, must he admitted that both its suddenness and severity were appalling ami unexpected. Income from exports fell without warning some £25.000,000. The figures are approximately: 1033, £34,000.000; 1936-37, £64,600,421. What would the country be like to-day with wagos fixed at a high level if our income from exports suddenly dropped by £30,000,000? —I am, etc., W. P. KEN All. Raglan, August 16. PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE. (To the Editor.) Sir,—lt seems to be becoming a habit with some correspondents to compare the promises of political parties with performance, and while the Labour Government has been “roasted" pretty consistently lately little has been said about the broken pledges of the Reform-Uhitcd-Coali-tion-National Party, now desperately attempting to curry favour with the electors. Mr F. W. Doidge has really raised the Issue in his perfervid panegyric of the Hon, A. Hamilton, who, we are told, at party conferences “always applies the acid test, namely, is that a promise we can perform?” If, as Mr Doidge states, this has always been Mr Hamilton’s habit, it is indeed strange that he is associated with a party one of whose lenders, Mr Coates, staled on November 20, 1031. just before the election: “We are pledged to a policy of sound finance that will make for economic, stability." The sound finance, as everyone knows, consisted of crushing taxation on those least able to hear it, the accumulation of millions of sterling credits in London while thousands suffered misery, poverty and malnutrition in the Dominion, and a substantial increase in the national debt to well over £300,000,000. Everyone knows also how much economic stability was achieved from 1031 onwards. Mr Coates, speaking in Auckland on that occasion, also made another pledge: “Those in the greatest need will be the first to be relieved of then’ anxieties." The pledge was honoured by slashing widows’ and old-age pensions and by placing thousands of men on degrading and demoralising weedchopping while their families thronged soup kitchens and relief depots. But still more impressive promises were made by I lie other leader of tin* then National Party, Mr Forbes. <>n November 3D. lo3l'. Mr Forbes made the following promises from his parlv platform: I ' Assistance to tlie producer; i.2 relief to the unemployed worker ■ :$' aid to local authorities a nee'’ afforded him by Mr Hamilton s party can best he gauged by the number of rural constituencies that voted against the parly at the lasi election Tho plight of I lie unemployed at that time Wilt always he a blot on 11m nation’s history, while the ‘-aid" given loe a 1 ho.lies ron.-isled of unpaid tirown rates, withdrawal of all subsidies and unashamed appropriation n? I ml-'r I! i e ..111 iipi.ihd >v-l.ni .f verm.lent was working -..m.* of those. form:. tier. In painting Mr I!■ im ’* • m as •| •• m.. |.‘ |'“'i II M- I .l-.-e -! lie- . hrM "share ' '"f.T Mm j broken |•!•. •!11:- - h-tw 111 '-.in \em M oidge must be \• r> well founded : "d, -J am.