"THE STONE AGE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 10

"THE STONE AGE."

COUNTY COUNCIL GEAR

MODERN EQUIPMENT NEEDED.

WAY TO DECREASE COSTS.

<Bj Telegraph.—Press Association.)

GISBORNE, Sunday.

"It is perfectly true that when I was here last I made reference to the riding system and said that, in my opinion, it was a system that had outlived its usefulness," said the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, in replying on Saturday to a deputation_or the Cook County Council "ratepayers seeking a measure of relief from burdens caused partly through the abolition of ridings and partly through increased costs. "I would rather see counties abolish this system voluntarily than compulsorily." said the Minister. "Fifty out of 125 counties have abolished ridings, and this is the first protest I have heard in the whole of New Zealand." The Minister said a good of propaganda had been broadcast about the disastrous effect of higher costs. It should be remembered, however, that the present Government, in common with other Governments, had been trying to give measures of relief to farmers, including the exchange rate, which represented a saving of between £8,000,000 and £10.000,000 and was designed for the farmers. The present Government had instituted the guaranteed price for butter and cheese. Some farmers had claimed that the price was inequit-

able, but the Minister reminded them that it was subject to review at the end of a year. The guaranteed price had made it impossible for the farmers of this country to ever be paid a slump price again. Of course, if they were not satisfied they had their remedy. A poll could be taken of the farmers of the country and they could, if they wished, discard the system of guaranteed prices and run the risk of receiving fid a lb for their dairy products. If prices for butter were more than the guaranteed price the farmer would receive the benefit of that in due course, so it was not quite fair to say that the Government had done something that would drive the farmer into bankruptcy.

The Minister said he made no apology for higher wages. Every man in the Dominion, whether farmer or otherwise, who rendered service was entitled to his legitimate share of the productivity of the country. On public works men were being paid what they earned and whereever possible jobs had been mechanised as a means of compensating for the higher wage bills. By this means ehargas had been considerably reduced. The Minister contended that the counties of the Dominion would have to follow along those lines. Some of the gear he had seen belonging to some counties belonged to the Stone Age, or might have come out of Noah's Ark.