PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20506, 24 May 1938, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents, whose letter* 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.

BLUMP (To the Editor) Sir,—Why anticipate another slump, especially in a world of full and plenty? All slumps, without excepil tfon, are not the result of shortage, n They are man-made, and traceable [- directly to a vicious system of finance, i- Commitments to the money power 't by those engaged In industry and d enterprise generally determine a sr slump. The reason Is not far to seek. > Bear In mind: (1) Industry and the n fruit thereof reflect capital in the d absolute; (2) finance capital, a book l] entry—credit, Issued against a factory y or a farm reflects capital in the abstract; consequently as many come mitments cannot be * met during a e slump, foreclosures follow. Hence n finance capital becomes so much richer, by virtue of the fact that It is k in possession of real wealth—to wit, p factories, farms, etc.—l am. etc.. HARRY WOODRUFFE. s Auckland, May 20. g s THINGB ECONOMIC 1 1 e (To the Editor) r n Sir. —By quotations from t.he f “Scheme for Scotland” I have shown that an attempt to close the so-called “gap” between production and purchasing power, by the methods cone tained In the scheme, would result in e such huge and expanding inflation s that t.he system would break down s within a few weeks of its introduction, t Mr Young, dismissing my arguments with the mere statement that my f assumptions are astray, proceeds to d draw attention away from the point at e issue by a reference to the world's i, Indebtedness and the policy of the s New Zealand Government, t The Indebtedness is the result of ;, the failure of Governments to apply the principles for which I stand, and s which the Times has been good 1 enough to publish. The evil will cons tlnue to grow until such principles i, are applied. o The “gap” does not exist; what Mr s Young mistakes for a “gap” Is a d “robbery.” If the people engaged in - the production of armaments, and the e personnel of the armed forces, could i be transferred to productive employment, the goods they produced would e exchange for each other, provided e they were each permitted to receive t the amount they had contributed to 1 production. v I can agree with Mr Young on one i, point: The policy of the Labour Gos vernment Is puerile; it has violated the d principles of sound political economy; Its unjust legislation has been particularly severe on the farmer; it has n also hoodwinked the wage-earner.—l am, etc., v T. HINDLE. d Hamilton, May 23. s

CLAUDELANDS BUB (To the Editor) Sir, —I wish to refer to passenger transport- in the vicinity of Hamilton and Claudelands. With several other people I waited at a “bus stop” in the main street of Hamilton on Saturday last (Race Day). One and all knew that a bus was due to arrive at a schedule time-table; Instead the buses travelled to and from the racecourse. and practically twq trips to Grey Street and Claudelands were cancelled. Why should this be allowed? The bus service is very weil patronised by the public on the Claudelands run. and the company put it there for our purpose; but they failed us on Race Day. Certainly the Hamilton East and Frankton service continued, but the Claudelands run was not given a thought.. Why? Do not. we deserve transport? We are not all racegoers. If the other runs have their usual time-table on race days, we should be given ours. Surely we deserve some consideration. On the day I speak of, when the bus did arrive there was a rush, and I must say it was well over-loaded, for I counted 44 adults besides six or eight children in it. Many of us could have walked home in the waiting time, but some had young children in their arms and expected the bus to come along any moment. On asking a couple of the drivers: “When will the Claudelands bus be along?” the reply was: “Don’t know; we are very busy.” We sincerely hope that next race meeting our bus will run more often and up to time.—l am, WAITING MOMENTS. Claudelands, May 23.

AT GENEVA 1

3 (To the Editor) o Sir.—“ New Zealand will not suptl port Great Britain.” That was the - amazing statement made by Mr Jordan a at Geneva. He informed the League of Nations that New Zealand would _ not support Great Britain in the attitude she had taken in dealing with the Abyssinian problem. I would like to s know what authority our representan tive had for making such a grossly e misleading and embarrassing state--0 ment. Has he the approval of our Government? I hope not, for their 1 own sake. We all know the situation f in Europe for some considerable time has been critical, and although the 3 tension appears at the present time L j to have somewhat eased, yet it is _ surely very ill-advised to Mr Jors dan’s part to strike this discordant note at the present juncture. ~ It is recognised by competent authors ritles that had Britain adopted any other course than the one she did there would, have been a grave possin billty of her being dragged Into war. y As usual John Bull would have been the one to carry the burden, and, '' what is more, thousands of our menj folk would have been sacrificed fighting other people’s battles. Surely Mr Jordan is not ready to cause disharmony between this Dos minion and the Homeland. The 3 Motherland can handle her business v well, hence her eminence to-day. ’ Although she is sometimes “apparo ently” (I use the word advisedly) d belittled and humiliated, and takes 9uch treatment quietly, yet one must l not Jump to the conclusion that this _ is an indication of weakness. Quite g the contrary is the position. Let Mr e Jordan continue to boost our produce d in the Home markets. That is what e he is paid for. —I am, etc., t , McCLOSKY. s Frankton, May 20.

n 11 PRICES HERE AND ABROAD 0

J _ (To the Editor) 1 Sir.—l notice that sometimes correh spondents bring to the attention of a readers statements made in other , places, either by correspondents or Q by public men. I would like to draw I attention to the statements made by i someone who wrote to a Dunedin paper. The clipping has been sent to _ me. as this is a dairying district. The cause of the letter was Mr Nash’s k statement that over 58,000 boxes of L j butter hart been sent, to flew*4*. en 4 a that this had helped to keep London e prices firm. He wrote—“l would say that during the past season farmers in this country could I not produce butter under Is per ,f j pound, and that commodity was rev ! tailed at Is 'id cash in New Zealand, r 1 That, when everything is taken into q ! consideration, has been fairly reasond ; able, but I think that, some explana- . i tion is due when, after paying, trans- • . 1 port in New Zealand, shipping, and _ : transport In Canada, and at the same g time considering exchange, our butter I can be retailed in central provinces in e I Canada for Is 3d per pound. I know » j for certain that in the central pro- _ j vinces in Canada, during the shortage e ■ of Canadian butter, our first-class prog duct was selling at the price mcnim tioned. At that time there was. in i these States, one of the greatest j butter snortnires Canada bns even known —in fact, that is why New Zea,n land butter was sent there. And yet is lour produce is retailed there at a price j lower than we in this country have to ‘ y i pay.”—l am, etc., lv PRODUCERid I Hamilton, May 23.

OOAL

(To the Editor) Sir, —The resentment which Is shown In the published statements of those engaged in the coal industry to the honest criticism by one of the “cloth” from overseas is probably the result of a rude awakening. We have evidence to-day that this criticism Is fully justified. These men had the ball at their toe, but owing to destructive individualism In this section, coupled with what amounted to an obsession with the miners—namely, supposedly internal troubles—they have challenged the industrial user’s right to make the fullest use of his national heritage. There is little we can point to as an outstanding achievement which will be accepted by the discerning visitor, and when one reads statements that our engineering standards are being copied by other countries, this surely is in the nature of a climax. But the individual responsible was sufficiently discreet not to add that these countries had similar designs on the capital expenditure Involved. Coming back to coal: The Industry survives to-day, and Is given further lease of life by the penalties It Imposes on the industrial and domestic life of this country. Coal! Yes, coal, as the engineer knows it to-day in this country, should have been our greatest national asset, but It Is starved to a skeleton by internal hostility, the outcome mainly of ignorance, which has brought In its wake the most unwise restrictions relating to its legitimate use, opening the door wide to the overseas competitor, who has waxed fat at this country’s expense. As a consequence much prominence of late has been given to the “universal ' screen.” What is wanted is the removal of the “smoke screen” and those responsible for its production.—l am, etc., K.V.A. Cambridge, May 21.

FACIAL EOZEMA

(To the Editor) Sir, —I was interested to read the letter by “Farmer” in your Issue of May 20. My own experience bears out that of your correspondent. Some of my sheep and cattle showed signs of facial eczema, but all stock was immediately turned on to pampas, with the result that the affected stock have recovered and no further cases have ocourred. The stock affected attacked the pampas eagerly, which seems to me to indicate that it provided for some deficiency in their previous diet. In these days of highly improved and heavily top-dressed farms, I am sure it is more than ever necessary to provide roughage as well as minerals that are lacking In the surface soil. Pampas grass is a deep-rooted plant, and draws on minerals in the soil not reached by ordinary grasses. Over several years I have found pampas grass not only ideal as a supplementary fodder for both summer and winter, but also for maintaining a high state of health in all livestock. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the results that I have obtained from cultivation of pampas over several years are now sufficiently well known to prove my case. Other users of the strain of pampas that I have developed are finding their results equally satisfactory.—l am, etc., ALEX. McCLEAN. Waitakaruru, May 21. (To the Editor) Sir, —Your correspondent “F.J.0.” states “that periodical outbreaks have occurred for the past 35 years, and the research workers should have made more progress.” Certainly they should have; but they have not, for the simple reason that the very grass, or diet, that causes facial eczema and numerous other diseases and complaints is boosted by the Government authorities, and naturally the diseases get more prevalent. Besides, they recommend the farmers to harrow the pastures, smothering them with the animals’ droppings—believe me or not. the animals are to feed on and relish this grass. Can they? These troubles originate from the ergots in the pastures and the bad management recommended by the Agricultural Division, and T challenge them to deny it. Being in the Waikato last. week. I was on many farms, and pointed this out, and one fanner remarked: “You have got us this time.” —I am, etc., A. KENT. Remuera, May 22.