SOCIALISED INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 10

SOCIALISED INDUSTRY.

COST TO THE PEOPLE.

(To the Editor.)

; "The product of any industry interfered with bv Government or municipality invariably ccets the consumer more." The people of Xew Zealand have had ample proof of this incontestable fact over the period that our socialistic Government has been in [»ower. Perhaps tho 'most noticeable instance is to lie found in the building trade. Here the Government has not [only interfered, but has been, and is, practically monopolising this, Xew Zealand's second industry. What is the result ? In two years building costs have advanced 50 per cent. (Incidentally, does anyone in Xew Zealand 'outside those directly associated with Government building activities know what these 'houses are costing per foot?) .Speculative [building is now a thing of the past, and until Government interference is removed-—and it would seem this can only be done in one wav —the rehabilitation of the building industry will never be accomplished. Instead of actuallv building houses, the Government would have [been better advised to make finance easier for [owner and speculative building, and also continue what proved to be the greatest stimulant to the building trade—some form of subsidy. The increased cost of building has in turn increased rents, which are now hii'-er tlian ever before in the hi«torv of Xew ;.Vajland, and to make conditions worse in this [direction. a Fair Rents Act lias been introduced, and this has resulted in many houses j which would otherwise be let remaining empty [till sold. The farmer, too. may well ask why any Government should interfere with his | produce —to the extent, practically, of confiscation —and at the end of the season pav him [some hundreds of thousands less than he is entitled to, or would have received in open [market. Does he realise also the huge administrative costs he is paying extra to market his produce under the present system—probably £100.000? So one could fro on. ad infinitum. The Social Security scheme looks as though it will drive everything skywards from taxation to hospital charges. Why could not such a scheme be passed over to some large insurance company which already has its organisation prepa-ed and ready to put it into effect? By the time the Government has developed its organisation—which, like all others, will doubtless, be cumbersome and extremely expensive—all benefits that might have accrued will disappear. One wondere, with the huge increase in the cost of household necessities, whether the 30/ will be of any more benefit to the old age pensioners than the present 22/6. Even we listeners are paying out £7000 per annum (the loss on last year's commercial radio) for „he questionably pleasure of hearing how to avail ourselves of everything but an interesting programme. We still pay 25/ per annum, and as this is about the highest fee in the world, one again aske, w hy? MEXSSAXA.