NORWAY'S PROSPERITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 7 (Supplement)

NORWAY'S PROSPERITY.

A WIN FOR COMMON SENSE.

PEASANTS BALK MOSCOW

REDS.

IT&iCTICALLY NO UNEMPLOYMENT.

Norway' to-day ie one of the most prosperous imall' countries in Europe. Two years ago it went through a Labour crisis, largely fomented' from Moscow, but Scandinavian common sense triumphed. Norwegian independence also asserted itself even among the Communists. The Norse Communist party was split up. One wing, the so-called, native party, •while holding to Communist doctrines, is both moderate in its methods and patriotic in its outlook. The other wing is a small remnant of Communists, taking dictation from Moscow, but without political influence. The conservatism of the country is also guaranteed by the fact that twothirds of the' population are peasants, while only one-third is industrial. Peasants Are "Self-owners." ! The peasants almost entirely are "self-owners," by which is meant that they own their land, while the fishermen, who also are of the peasant class, own their own boats and tackle. A few may be mortgaged to the banks, but as a whole the Norwegian peasantry is independent, prosperous, and is not interested in the Communists' revolution. In general politics they are the most democratic people in Europe. The monarchy is accepted for historic reasons, but the king is without power and retains his popularity only by acting in every respect as a private citizen. There is no Norwegian aristocracy and no privileged class. Wages and labour are high, according to the Europ , ean scale. There has been an apparent drop since 1925, when the high peak was reached, but this wae due to the inflation of the kroner, according to Loret Vogt,' secretary of the Norse Federation of Industries Wages, though lower in the number of kroner to-day, are really higher in purchasing power.

Purchasing Power is Higher. The chief industries are paper and pulp, iron and engineering, and shipping. Paper workers earn from 2.50 dollars daily, but the, purchasing power ia much higher than American or English. Metal workers earn 37£ cents per hour and building workmen about 18.75 dollars weekly. There is practically no unemployment. Estimates vary between fifty and forty thousand for the whole country. The discrepancy is explained by the fact that statistics are incomplete, and owing to the system by which men work, in industry certain seasons of the year and on farms or fishing other seasons, it is often hard to decide whether to include individuals in unemployment or not. The development of the electric chemical industry during the last couple of years has added greatly to Norway's prosperity, Vogt said. More than twenty million kroner (5,000,000 dollars) has been spent in the last two years in the development of electrochemicals and water power, and thie lias reacted, of course, on building, clothing, food, and other industries. Development of artificial silk also has provided new markets for wood pulp and strengthened this trade, which was in a bad way a few years ago, but which is now, while not fully recovered, fairly prosperous.

Whaling Fleets Reconditioned. "Wialing, fleets have been reconditioned, new ships built, and Norwegian ship owners who used to go to England and Germany for new ships are now placing orders in their home yards. Cheap coal from Poland is almost driving British coal out of the market and has also been a factor in Norwegian expansion, but Britons are- now regarding the market as prices fall because of better quality, and because ehips earrying Norwegian food and exports to England offer low coal freight for return cargoes. About half the total export of Norway, it is estimated, goes to the British, who desire as much as possible from its best customer. Another threat to British coal is arising, however, in the development of the Norwegian, fields of Svalbard, which are now-supplying about 250,000 tons annually, or about .one-tenth of the total consumption, and which promises to increase regularly year by year. Foreign Trade Neglected.

Had it not been for the intervention of the war Norway would have reaped the benefits of political independence, ifoder the union with Sweden the whole diplomatic and consular service was staffed with Swedes, and although Norway's foreign trade was far larger than the Swedish, it ; .was neglected by representatives abroad. This was the chief factor an the Norwegian demand for separation, and since it was obtained the feeling with Sweden i<s perfectly friendly. Norway now has an able and ener■getip foreign, service and is watching /iie•'home , interests in all parts of the ' -world.