PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20279, 23 August 1937, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

A* expressed by correspondents, whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents ace 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 compiled with, their letters will not appear.

HOBPITAL VISITING HOURB,

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I am a busy person; I have a job of work to do, and It is impossible for me to get away during the day. I have a friend ill In tljie Waikato Hospital, and am anxious to see him. I work during the week-ends, and cannot get away on Sunday. I rang up the hospital to ascertain what nights visitors were allowed, and I w T as told that visitors were allowed only between 2 and 3 o’olook In the. afternoon. I could understand this In a small hospital, but I could not help contrasting this with the conditions In the Auckland Hospital. There may be some good reason for this rule, but It must be a great Inconvenience to people In the country.—l am, etc., BACKBLOCKS. Te Awamutu, August 21.

ROAD TRANSPORT.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In a recent statement the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, referring to the proposed expropriation of the goods motor transport Industry, stated that plans were in hand—presumably by the Railway Department—"with a view to giving the publio a flexible first-class goods service." This hardly -seems sufficient reason to dispossess a large number of private businesses at present providing such a service to the complete satisfaction of the public. The only really flexible Internal transport system available Is road motor service. Its superiority over rail haulage in flexibility and service cannot be contested, but the Minister gives no further undertaking that It will be maintained in effective operation. It has already been stated by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Sempje, that the railway service can deal efficiently with 90 per cent, of the business ut present carried by the road transport services. If, therefore, these services are handed over to the Railway Department, and if the Minister’s estimate is correct, it seems plain that they will be closed down to the extent of 90 per cent., or, In other words, virtually eliminated. Further, the Railway Department have always held the attitude that their service Is "good enough” and that no need exists for road services. So It seems clear that when these road services pass into their hands they will look at the question only from their own point of view, and not that of the convenience of business people or the requirements of transport users. The proposed handing over of a monopoly of internal goods transport, where railways operate, to the Railway Department is complete evidence of the real intention behind the transport policy of the Government. The object of the Government is not the improvement of goods transport at all; from this point of view its proposals are a retrograde step. The Railway Department is out primarily to Increase Its business by the elimination of competition which it has failed to meet on equal terms, and the Government, sympathising with this objective, sees in the expropriation policy an opportunity to push forward with Its general objective of socialisation of our economic life. Since Internal transport Is a key Industry on which most other economic activities are ultimately dependent, It is obvious that monopoly control of internal transport would be a powerful factor in establishing complete socialisation. That this Is the policy of the Government is not denied. A transport monopoly In the bands of a Socialist Government will be a serious menace to private Industry and commerce generally.—We are, etc., N.Z. ROAD TRANSPORT ALLIANCE. Wellington, August 18.

A PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I hardly recognised my conversation with Mr Hunter amid the frills with which he decorated it In your issue of August 17. Having no further need to continue my agitation, l am free to confess that in my more lucid moments I sometimes suspected that Social Credit propaganda was awful bunkum. But while it has served its purpose for me, I do not wish to discourage Mr Hunter. So I would point out that two illustrations of the shocking consequences of the failure of the credit authorities to issue sufficient purchasing power appear in the same issue in close proximity to his letter. In the first case a citizen with an unblemished record was, severely punished for merely trying to Increase his purchasing power by ‘running a book"! And in the second ease, a working man, who had contracted to pay £30,000 for a sheep station, was convicted of fraud, simply because no one would underwrite his'cheque! Thank goodness that. Mi* de la Mare and penal reformers now find it impossible to Ignore the fact that practically all crime arises out, of the ill-directed, but often well-meant, efforts of “the criminal" to supplement his purchasing power. Surely it is now clear to everybody that all that i?> needed is sufficient State officials to sign the necessary cheques. I used to share the curiosity of some of your orthodox correspondents when they wondered why so many valiant advocates of Social Credit had faded out from your columns. Now l know. I have found them all here—" Plato," "Diogenes," Socrates," “Seeker,’ “Not Fooled,” the "Economic Diagnostician," and other varieties 100 numerous lo mention. This institution lias not only supplied them with an entirely congenial intellectual atmosphere. but has also solved their problem of something for nothing. This institution will do us. There are no orthodox interrupters—asking for definitions and explanations and pointing out contradictions. As you know, the gospel of Social Credit is infinitely diverse. Here everybody is free *.o expound his own variety lo his heart’s content—everybody talking and nobody listening. That’s our idea of bliss. Meanwhile give my greetings to the brethren —see them later on.— I am, etc., THE PILGRIM. Social Credit Ward. That Mental Home, August IS.

THE NATIONALISTS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —When I asked Mr Kenah to show how employment was created by the action of the National Party in reducing wages, I anticipated that he would find some difficulty in framing a suitable reply. But judge my surprise when this met my eye: "The National Government reduced only the wages of their own servants, and only to tha extent of 2s in the £. Of course, the civil servants complained, althouga their living costs were down at least 20 per cent." To my certain knowledge the civil servants had two salary cute, each of 10 per cent., one in 1931 and the other In 1932. In addition, many wore dismissed, thus causing unemployment. The powers of the Arbitration Court were curtailed, and thus other employers were Invited to take similar aotion. In regard to his extraordinary -statement that "living costs were down at least 20 per cent.," I demand that Mr Kenah produce the evidence. In the meantime,' I am still waiting to learn how wage reductions "caused employment."

In reply to my other query as lo how he justifies the actions of his party In allowing machinery to lie idle while men were put to work with picks, shovels and wheelbarrows, Mr Kenah says "the main reason was lo provide work in keeping with limited funds." Not long ago Mr Kenah was loud in his claims that machinery “created work," instead of unemployment, as is commonly believed, and I am sure he knows that the works undertaken by inefficient and primitive methods proved far more costly than they would have been had modern machinery been used. So I am forced to the conclusion that, so far from Justifying his party’s actions, Mr Kenah has quite effectively condemned them.—l am, etc., G. HUNTER. Horsham Downs, August 21.

PIG MARKETING.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Quite recently there appeared In the columns, of the Waikato Times an expression of opinion in respect to the proposed grading scheme of pigs for export. Having been closely associated with the pig industry in New Zealand for the past ten years, may I be allowed space to express my views on this vital subject?

It is impossible to conceive that one who is dependent upon the pig industry could take such a short-sighted view in condemning the proposals to grade pigs in New Zealand. To pay a premium for quality Is the only way to improve the carcase quality, and is tho due of those few farmers who have taken an intelligent Interest in the pig industry. Too long have they had to bear the burden of carrying the man who, because he would not take advantage of the Information available through pig-recording activities, has been penalised. Now that the man who has done things right Is to receive some reward for his enthusiasm by a premium of fd per pound for “finest selected" pigs, those who, perhaps because of methods of management or over-feeding, are not likely to participate in the advantage offered, are raising all kinds of objections to any form of grading which Is likely to affect their pocket, irrespective of whether it is to the ultimate benefit of the pig industry in New* Zealand or not.

The buttermilk-feeders are among the biggest offenders in this respect. These interests produce'about 80,000 of the baconers in New Zealand, and, to a large extent, it is the quality of these pigs which lowers the standard as a whole of the pigs exported. They claim that no material benefit can be derived from a grading system at this stage, and that since they, like others, have to subscribe towards the levy of 2d per pig for instruction, an opportunity should be given the scheme to make such improvements as can be expected from it.

While much can be expected by way of Instruction towards Improvement, the desired results would be far more quickly achieved if a premium could be offered as an Inducement for greater effort. The instructional appeal will not have the same appeal to farmers if, after having gone to a great deal of trouble and expense to make Improvements—by purchasing good breeding stock and erecting the conveniences necessary for the proper conduct of the industry—the butter-milk-feeders are to be allowed to flood the market with 80,000 pigs that are too heavy and too fat.—l am, etc., H. M. PEIRSON. Whitiora, August 21.