PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21204, 29 August 1940, 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 i:i ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, theif letters will not appear.

THIS DEMOCRACY

(To the Editor) Sir, —The parliamentary system is democratic in theory, but other factors come into play which discount the benefits of a democratic government. We have had recently an example of government by Order-in-Council over the moratorium. We hardly ever hear of the power of Whipocracy. This factor is definitely a parliamentary one. The M.P. is considered to represent his constituency but in reality he is at the beck and call of the party he represents through the Whip. The. office of Whip is to keep an eye on members of a party and see that they are in their place to vote; to oversee the practices of members in order to keep them in line with the party policy. One slight deviation from the virtuous path, and the recalcitrant member is well on the mat. Hence it is really the party Whip who governs the country.—l am, etc., INDEPENDENT. Hamilton, August 28.

RESPONSIBILITY OF UNIONISTS

(To the Editor) Sir, —Railwaymen and others should read Mr Thomas Fleetwood’s letter in Tuesday’s Waikato Times. Most workers will agree with him that those who are attacking the Government are attempting to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. From a purely patriotic point of view, they are also disturbing the unity that is essential for the prosecution of the war. The writer would go further than Mr Fleetwood, however, and ask whether certain demands for increased wages are not a crude and grim joke. Take, for instance, the Auckland tramwaymen. They were recently granted an increase in wages of 8 per cent to offset the then ascertained increase in the cost of living. Now they want to share in the additional 5 per cent increase made in the general order! Are these serious and responsible men who realise that they can extract from society only a fair thing? This kind of thing drags other unionists into ill-repute and lays them open to the charge of irresponsibility. Unionists have just as much responsibility to society as any other section of the community, and they should not close their eyes to the fact. If one section demands too much, some other must go short. It was absolutely unreasonable to expect the Labour Government or any other Government to place unlimited wealth at the disposal of all those who had the good fortune to belong to labour unions. It is just as unreasonable to condemn that Government now because it has failed to make that unlimited wealth available. No matter how the unions may flog the Government, there is a limit beyond which it cannot go with safety, and the sooner the objectors realise that fact the better it will be for the country. One could take more pride in his own countrymen if he found the commonsense initiative coming from them; if they showed a recognition of a fair thing. Thousands of unionists do, of course, recognise when they have gone far enough, but the few simply demand more and leave the responsibility to someone else. They might with benefit to all concerned join in the effort shortly to be made by a conference called by the Government to arrive at a means of stabilising costs, wages and prices. If they desire to build a better New Zealand they should take a share in the responsibility and not stand aloof and demand all without trying to give an adequate return.—l am, etc., WORKER. Hamilton, August 28.