REGULATION OF TRADE

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 85, 11 April 1938, Page 6

REGULATION OF TRADE

EFFECT ON THE INDIVIDUAL

(To the Editor.)

I When the present Government -was the (Opposition it was affirmed that no person was worth more than £500 ]>er annum in anv J capacity, and that when it attained power the (country's affairs would be administered in such manner that the abuses an<l exploitation perpetuated l>y the Forbes-i 'oates Government would be remedial, everyone would have employment that would enable all workers to enjoy a higher standard of living- and have abundance in a land of plentiful production. This Government has had the opportunity with its bkr majority to perforin all its promises, but so far has accomplished nothing but raided tlie cost of production and living. In every instance where control of imports and exports has been exercised, men have been thrown out of business to join the nnempioved and become a burden on the .State. I consider that the regulation of trade by the issue of licenses is placing too much power in tha hands of Ministers, and opposed to the claims of democracy. The medical fraternity has stressed that malnutrition is very pronounced, yet supplies of Nature's best foods are restricted, and consumers have to do without or buy less. In Australia and the Islands there is abundance of fruits, wasting, of kinds that cannot be grown here, but the public must not be allowed to trade freely to the detriment of t lie licensed importers and exporters. The Labour leaders should adopt the slogan "l"p with .Monopolies'' and declare a dictatorship in New Zealand. There is much useful work that -would increase the productivity of N'civ Zealand that could be done. Why not do it? This is essentially a farming country—how many of the commissioners have any practical knowledge of the various aspects bearing on the ease's they decide? A wise surgeon would excise a growth that consumed 2."> per cent of a patient's food, but when the doctor deliberately restricts his j.atientV supply in every conceivable way to loster (ho cancerous growth, we can safely assume that ho is an orthodox Minister of Finance. I that Xew Zealand agrees with the Labour pre-election dictum that the number of Parliamentarians is much too large for eflicient work, also that there are too many conti-'i' board*. Wbv paint the lilv? FARMER.