WORK AND PRODUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 8

WORK AND PRODUCTION.

11l your correspondence column of June 10, Mr. Alexander Fraser replies to a suggestion from Mr. Gatenby that a fund should be created by public subscription to provide new clothing for 'those in need in place of second-' band. congratulate him 011 his regard for the dignity of unfortunate citizens, but believe that any * discussion 011 the practicability or otherwise of these schemes will probably lead us into a stage where we may find the correspondence columns 'too small. I wish to refute any suggestion that any but a very small proportion—present in every community of our sustenance men are really unwilling tp work. I know of too many who are at ►the present, time cheerfully working for relief and looking forward to better times. As regards Mr. Eraser's group settlement scheme, itls, in my opinion, against the modern trend of agricultural and industrial development The ivae of peasantry is past. To limit a man's efforts to one acre in the face of the fact that man's inventive genius will, if unhindered, ,rive him power to handle efficiently many times that area will keep the tenants of these sun-o-ested group settlements down to a peasant standard. We cannot -blind ourselves to the fact that what is sometimes called mass production will inevitably become a factor in modern farming. ' The" powers of the modern machine will demand scope. Cannot we visualise large co-operative farms, on which the conditions and pay will equal that of any urban industry, producing primary products in quantities hitherto believed impossible? Group settlements, perhaps, but not of the type suggested by Mr. Fraser. In the light of these opinions," which I ."believe to be well founded, I would suggest that any expedients suggested to relieve the present serious position tend more towards -the rise of modern methods. Let us take the machine and master it instead of hiding the machine away and keeping men just working hopelessly on at obsolete tasks for a lifetime without having really enjoyed the fruits of civilisation. F. W. PERCY.