IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 8

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

LOCAL INDUSTRY.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.

(To the Editor.)

"Accountant" concludes his epistle under the above title with the words, "It will be a disastrous day for New Zealand when and if international competition in. the production and sale of goods is eliminated." ig there any doubt at all that international competition has been and is the most fruitful cause of the greatest disasters that have afflicted the peoples of the earth? Does "Accountant" know of any greater disaster than war, and does he realise that war is due solely to international competition? Like many other commercial thinkers, "Accountant" is obsessed with the notion that a nation produces goods, not for the use of its own people but to sell in foreign markets to establish the relation of creditor and debtor. The only eane object of exports and imports surely j 8 exchange of goods mutually desirable. Where then, is the need of international competition?' Do we compete with our customers? Do we not rather aim at retaining their good will and co-operation? If other nations do not need our goods, is any proper purpose served in our people dumping them in their markets? The mercantile theory of wealth, that it is something to sell at a profit, while it may suit the immediate advantage of the individual in a community, does not harmonise with the real purpose of all trade, which is to exchange j goods and services to the mutual advantage of the contracting parties. International trade is not fostered by competition, but by friendlv agreements to exchange; and local industry must have for its principal objective the production of wealth for consumption by the people of the community. Until the nations unite into one family, it is for each to organise its own industry and to exchange its surplus goods with people who need them.

PETER MELLOR.

"SAMOA FOR THE SAMOANS."

5 Overriding the provisions of a solemn 3 treaty signed with the Samoans ten years 1 previously, three of the greatest Powers in i the world signed a convention in 1899 dividing 3 the protectorate over Samoa between Ger° F many and America, Rritain withdrawing ) because of valuable concessions granted her ; elsewhere. That the division of a small, proud i people like the Samoans was a wicked act ' is proved by the fact that the Samoans remain i one people after 36 years of divided allegiance, .. The natives of the two Samoas are not just , distant cousins; they are brothers and sisters, . parents and children. A leading chief of t American Samoa might be the brother of one ; holding similar rank in Western Samoa. Child- [ ren of parents living in the Eastern part move • to the Western part and become permanent ; residents there, and vice versa, but legal disabilities are already appearing, in that, a i Samoan born in Western Samoa may not now hold a matai name or title in American Samoa, even though he might be nest in the line of succession. This anomaly can only be removed by the reunion of all Samoans under the protectorate of one benevolent Power, and the time seems opportune for this to be considered by the Powers. The Allies in the late war, including New Zealand, owe the U.S.A. many millions of dollars, the payment of which is very doubtful. If the "for ever and ever" tenure is again to experience a change, it must be due to the Samoans to he given this opportunity to reunite under' one protector, and as the Samoans are contented with Amferican administration, the only solution of the vexed question of Western Samoa is to turn it over to America. A few million dollars might be written off the war debt in this manner without hurting anyone in the least. America is already in possession of the only strategic point in the Samoan Islands, and she should be as good a neighbour to New Zealand as Germany. SAMOA FOR THE SAMOANS. ANZAC DAY. Reference to the report from Ihmedin in connection ivitli the screening of pictures on Anzac Day was made by Sir George Richardson, who stated that he speaks for all returned soldiers, saying: "We are pledged to observe Anzac. Day as a day of memory and as a Sabbath." May I remind Sir George that lie is not speaking for all returned soldiers; quite a number of us have, since our youth, gained an enlarged vision. Primarily, the day reminds us of greater issues, of the evil and stupidity' of mankind, of utter waste and tragedy. We do not regard the day as a Sabbath. The prerogative of naming Sabbaths belongs to God. It is a great pity that some people consider the upkeeping of Anzac to be in the interests of peace—the idea is rather immature. History and psychology both decisively declare that the inevitable result of advertising war produces war—whether that advertisement be hid under sentiment or slogan. I wonder what our comrades who have passed over think—the spirits with the larger vision. We cannot emulate them, but we mustpush our thinking further than at present— or be silent. WM. BRADY.

"LITERARY" FLOODS. t I heartily agree with and affirm "Soit's" letter in the "Star," and I think thousands of others do, too —the pernicious and demoralising effect that the flood of nasty American "literature" has on the paople who read it. I have noticed that it is mostly the young fry who patronise it; it is also detrimental to the sale of the really good class of English magazines. Legislation should certainly be brought to bear on the matter; and, inter alia, the same applies to some of that vile stuff that passes for music in America and finds it way here via the radio, and a prohibitive tariff should be put on all such records. F.J.B.

BATTLE HONOURS. A letter in your issue of the 22nd inet. from "An Okl Contemptible" brings up an interesting point. I would refer liim to the Army List. No honours are shown as being borne by the Royal Regiment of Artillery; their motto is "Übique," which means "everywhere," and as they are probably entitled to every honour, or almost every honour, that exists, they compromise by not "bearing" any. In .the list I gave in the.article on Corunna 1 included only the regiments shown in the Army List as "bearing" the honour. This cannot be construed to mean that they were the only troops present during the action. A. C. CLAYTON, Captain, Late Royal Sussex Regiment. AMATEUR TRANSMITTERS. Are there no regulations ruling the time for amateurs to operate their radio transmitters? On Wednesday evening shortly after Mr. Baldwin began his speech an amateur came 011 the air and spoilt our reception. He must have known there were two special broadcasts that evening and might at least have had the courtesy to stay off the air until they were finished. They seem to be on every wave band and on every part of the dial. The Morse is annoying enough, but the talking a positive pest. MOUNT ALBERT.