Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1908.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxix, Issue 7646, 17 November 1908, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1908.

The prevalence of unUnemployment employment is a proof and of the dearth of states-

Dearth of manship. A country Statesmanship, with real statesmen would be a country uncursed by unemployment—a country without waste or unused labour. But, judged by this severe standard, apparently iio nation In thfe World is blessed with real statesmen, for in every socalled civilised country unemployment is an ever-recurring phenomenon ot its industrial life. It' is so even in a young community like New Zealand, though there have been in New Zealand socalled statesmen who have claimed that they had solved the problem of poverty and therefore of unemployment. But all that has been mere talk, spoken in vainglory and with a deliberate determination to hoodwink ' gullible and credulous people. No New Zealand politician has ever even glanced at the fact that it is,' economically, a national waste, as well as a sin against humanity, "to haVe unused labour in a country." This vitally important truth has been dwelt on. off and on, by a journalist here and there, but never by a politician. Apparently it is the same in America, where the politicians are stupidly dumb and journalists helpfully suggestive on the subject 1. Figures are regularly published alter a great strike or lock-out to show the amazing sums lost to both sides through the stoppage (says a New York paper). What colossal sums are .similarly lost I'during hard times, when hundreds of factory boilers are cold and tens of thousands of workmen vainly seek employment. To the able organisers of industrial combinations the wastes of duplicate plants, of antiquated factories running on part time, and of superiluous commercial staffs, are all abhorrent, But these organisers seem not to realise the stupendous wastes of unemployment. The statesman is yet to conic who will make the nation conscious of the- unparalleled loes involved when Coxey armies are recruited, and who will then enlist the ablest citizens in organising to ensure steadiness in industry and employment. Collectively we are convicted of stupidity until that organisation is perfected. It is an indictment of our ability to control our affairs when double shifts one year are followed by shutdowns the next year; when feverish haste to fill orders is succeeded by anxious eagerness to secure orders, and when the crowds who come to our shores attracted by the smiles of prosperity are cast adrift as hoboes in adversity. Organisation is part of the American accepted creed, and the nation will need to go great lengths in the practice of that creed before the social machinery is running smoothly. And what thus applies to America is equally applicable to New Zealand, in which, with properly coordinated organisation on the part ot the State and the local bodies, there should nover be ten men hopelessly out of work for two days running, from end to end of the country. It should Ijo remembered that unemployment means not only that individuals eufier humanly, but that; the State loses through the prevalence of unused labour. The statesman who fails to see this, and who does not at least honestly apply himself to the discovery and application of a remedy, is only a pinchbeck pretender.

In one of his ndAn dresses, Mr F. G.. . Essential Bolton—- a -. political ■ Thing. candidate in Wellington —said that, in the caso of the wage-earner, the -vpstion of the value of his money wage—its purchasing power—was the .essential thing. A high money-wage, if prices were high all round, was no advantage to him. High general prices were no advantage to the community. They only depreciated the exchange value of money. High wages did not necessarily imply high prices. High wages implied lower profits, in New Zealand, prices had reached a high level partly through the high prices obtained for our exported primary products, reacting on'tho New Zealand market, and partly through the protective tariff, which we had in New Zealand in the case of manufacturers; and, in tho case of rent, through extravagantly high values placed on the land; and, lastly, as to the distribution of product's through monopolies in the shape of shipping "rings" and importers penalising tho public. The present rate of wages in Wellington, although nominally high, was nob really so; and, _ in fact", in many cases was not a living wage by reason simply of the general high prices and the consequent- depreciation of the exchange' value of money. Mr Bolton then outlined a scheme under which tho Government should take up land and build workers' dwellings upon it. The land would have to be not more than ten minutes from a town by rail, and dose to a railway station. Tho dweller in these houses should be induced to make them his own by means of monthly payments, etc. This, ho argued, would cure the high rent question and overcrowding in a city. Then lie would remove the duties on primary products coming from white laborv'countries working under similar r-;;:aitions to those that prevailed in New Zealand. Reductions in freights (should bo brought about by encouraging competition, and if necessary by State-chartered or State-owned steamers. Finally, there should be remissions in Customs duties, and further reductions on the necessaries of )ife. Like the proverbial seed sown by the way, and not iii absolutely stony ground, these and other similar suggestions made during the recent campaign may become living, political growths by-and-by. It will certainly say little for the thoughtfulness of the peoplo if they treat thoughts honestly conceived in their interest with derit>iou or indifference.

Ifc is always pleasant Benevolent to. contemplate benevoRicli lence which is the out- ;" Women. come of wise reflection inspired by human sympathy. The administration of tho estate of the late Mrs Elizabeth Knox, of Auckland, supplies an instance of this, and recalls another similar instance. After providing for various persons and purposes, Mrs Knox, under her will, left tho residue of her estate, estimated to produce £25,000, to the trustees to dispose of in charity as they might think fit. When this was announced, applications from various institutions for further assistance were made, and when tho trustees met they had a pile of reports to consider in this connection. Ultimately they decided that tho whole of the residue should be utilised in the building and endowment of a home for incurables, which was the principal object of charity under the will, and towards which Mis Knox especially bequeathed £20,000, directing that such home should be named after her late husband, Mr Charles Knox. Tho sum of £45,000 will t before now be available from the Knox estate for tho purpose. Then, in eight years' time, when tho calls upon the institution will be greater, there seems every reason to believe that the funds will 'be supplemented by the Thompson bccmcvst. Under her will, the late Ali'.M J. 31. Thompson, who died in June, 1006, bequeathed the residue of her estate. estimated then at about £10,000, to tho same object. She directed, however, that it should be allowed to accumulate for ten years, and that at the expiration of that time) tlu> then income from the accumulated funds (should go to the support ot a homo, for incurables, if such a home had iH-eii established- by that time. Hence an institution nuiHi needed n\ x-ew Zealand lias tlnio been provided lor bythese two wisely and generously be-j nevolent rich women. j