IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 268, 12 November 1935, Page 6

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

GOLD INDUSTRY.

DEVELOPING LOW GRADE ORES

(To the Kditor.) In his lettci; published in your columns 51 H. H. Adams has ably demonstrated that repeal of the gold export tax fe absolute essential before private enterprise ca n 7 expected to sink capital into an industry th require* great initial expenditure to or! tonnages and average values in those to nages. Apart from private enterprise V ever, I hold that even if the cost of product exceeds the return, it would be an econoil?" .proposition naturally to concentrate on tl development of our low-grade ores. Weekii assume, for instance, that State cnternrk! worked a lode averaging £1 pCr ton l n L? and the cost of production wae £1 5/, «' those figures for the expenditure of one mini? pounds there would be a return of £800000 to the Treasury, which would automatic* decrease taxation by that amount, and, in c j dentally, place the unemployed labour utilised on a standard wage. We can safely assume that the expenditure by the Unemployment Board under the existing procedure makej no direct monetary return to the Treasury, therefore I contend that it is logical to drastically alter our system of expenditure so that it will produce tangible monetary wealth. As a country we arc inclined to think too much in terms of butterfat, beef and wool. C. SCOTT.

THE PRICE OF DEMOCRACY, In its editorial entitled "Promises" the "Star" says: "The time to examine, to quts. tioh and. to criticise political programme* is now." With regard to this excellent advice, some practical applications may be made. The first is the value and importance of the individual. In a huge society like ours the p. sure of numbers overwhelms the indivMiul He comes to think at last that he his 11 role to play; that, provided he keeps within the letter of the law, it does not matter irtat he thinks. This is fatal in a democratic society. It undermines the foundation of democracy. Mr. Zhnmern, in his valuablt studv, "the Greek Commonwealth," points out,"with Greek conditions in mind, Jut "democracy*involves the co-operation of Uigt numbers of citizens in the active work «! government. It m«ans payment to the Stilt, not only in taxes, but in time and thought" Has this idea of democracy .any meaning m value for ue to-day? It may at least It said, with truth, that in the degree that tit individual ceases to give time and thoughts the public interest, democracy is endangnti The individual has, so to speak, contracts himself out. In order to make this moretw crete, what is the minimum amount-of .tin and thought that democracy claims fromtii individual? The answer is clear, the fitful discharge of his duty as a , voter. A demo. cratic State can only remain stable when the individuals who compose it think, speak ni act with what th© Romans called "gmita." There is no single English word that quite translates this. But we shall not b* iu wrong if we call it "sense of responsibility." The individual has a contribution to .-.ttita towards the formation of public opinion. Hi must fulfil this obligation with Adapub "gravitas." If we fail, there will be m&ness, lack of will and power, which is the death-knell of democracy. "No government* wrote Lord Bryce, "demands so much foil the citizens as "democracy, and nbne'ghwii much back." S. GLADIXG. PROPHECIES OF DISASTER. Congratulations upon your 'f«™>* leader of the Bth inst. rebuking Mf-*«» for his alarmist prophecies as to what rt happen if a Labour Government Mr. Forbes k indeed only doing hal at» harm. He is only giving grounds *«««* nation that Labour's opponents are mTliajß promote a financial panic in order to disc* a Labour Administration. Everyone town that the stability of the banks depends m confidence and Mr. Fortes seems almost V •» trying to destroy confidence in advance. « are right again when you .say it w tat » Forbes to prove Labour's proposal unW able. Just what is the position? Asm one in business knows, there is an acute m tao-e of purchasing power in New ZeaW>V acute that 70,000 men and their dependem are short of food and clothing, wWle_our w«' houses are full of food and wool. I understand it, proposes to provide the «w sary purchasing power by employing «» men on standard rates of pay. It * a»» to call this "inflation." Inflation only »» place when the market is swamped *» money, as was the case in Germany, «« that 'country deliberately rendered her «" rency worthless in order to defeat her cree tors." Standard rates of pay liavcnt got' chance of swamping New Zealand mtiW This is the argument Mr. Forbes must F a reasoned answer for if he is to prove * Savage's proposals impractical. WOMEN IN CABINET. So Mr. Alan Donald will f avour *°!* having a scat on the Ministerial bcnche»P viding thev could prove firet their aWV Ah! sweet mvetery of male conip'art, | Irony of ironies a'ndshades of And' how altogether charming of .It"": . it occurred to Mr. Donald that con3«™> the matter all round able women nugM 1% a rather healthier boiwh on which to sue. alight? Has Mr. Donald read a psmP"; "Out of This Muddle." written by » -.- Zealand woman? If so. lot him name » tinsr member who could turn out Jf-'-JSj work, both from the viewpoint of d,st . () writing and sound logic. Here alone «.. complete refutation of his archaic ~ There are hosts of others, here and tlic * over. Even—dare T breathe it? —overwhelm j evidences of female mental ?up pnor 'rrnV KERRI HAMILTON BOYS AND OVERTIME. I would like to draw public * the fact that boys from 15 to 18 are ernpiV at a number of places in the city » A, from 15/ to 20/ weekly and arc compe" return for night work for tea money no overtime wages whatever being g" e j; The excuse is that the firm is very »'v (! so, surely a decent firm would emp'%., extra lad' or two while the rush is j>1!» , help relieve unemployment and w» lads, who have worked their eight liQur. 6 ' -s i evenings free for night school, «W i recreation, etc. For our growing g - ~ boys, may I appeal to .employers consideration? FAIR lt "' A WORD FOR THE ALSATIANIn reply to "Kin-Tin-Tax" in 1"' » "Star," why should antipathy be e< .J a noble animal, the Alsatian? J "„„,(! lost mine, and T can say T have the best pals I ever had. always faitni' 1. worthy and ncvor on the I<W". "' always carried in the mouth wherever Blame the owner for a change. If '. ffl4 th* loose and get hurt you would not dw Every animal has a certain a mow if the owner cared to bring it o 1 A TRUE LOVER OF AN ALS-i*