NATIONALISATION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 14299, 24 February 1947, Page 2

NATIONALISATION

• gir There is a widespread tendency at the present time to regard "nationalisation" of this, that and the other thing as a .complete and final cure for all the ills that beset tt This has been to some degree the case for a considerable time, but has received great impetus since the advent 'of Labour Governments i„ New Zealand and Britain. Some of these nationalisation experiments have now been running for sufficient time to judge as to their success or otherwise. ! One feature of nationalisation is that it means centralised control, and there remains the question as to whether this is effective as regards the results the public is led to expect, or whether it is merely nominal and leaves the real control to interested parties who have scant regard for the people's welfare. State ownership of coal mines has been spreading in this country, and if we gave credence to official expectations" the coal .shortage would have been triumphantly overcome at this stage in our history. Unfortunately this does not appear to be eventuating. The railways have severely cut down their services, gas shortage in the cities is a chronic complaint, and domestic supplies are uncertain and -capricious in arriving. .The war has been over for two years and the thrill of . State ownership does not appear to have yet aroused sufficient patriotic fervour and enthusiasm to meet the demand for coal. I" Nationalisation of the coal mines in /Britain has been in force since the Ist January. No signs have so far been reported of a great national drive to produce coal to meet the shortage there. From recent news the position instead is that Britain is in a worse position for coal than ever. Still more interesting is the po-

sition as of banking.' England has perty of the People'-;.*.& vfc flourish of trumpets IB- * lj' benefits are Wdoubt * Si fidently being ■ '*> i while one is tempted 7 *4- ; where was this when the makers of a motor car. Just,on the production, was report J °'4 financial difficulties. , ■ Coming.nearer home*.,• 1 a State-owned Reserve » ,W number of years. We-ha*"* to if.* own money factory,' ableT^"! 1 costless pen and ink ° giTt ? J (vide numerous required figure: :for all ! S' : N Yet we now have a doubled! '* debt and a rate' to none in the world.'.'' ,v we have nationalised fte aSS ing bank in this country v we may expe,--and definitely to expect-~ Bome m * results. " ■""**[ Involuntarily local financial, event,, the" ttJH increase in county'rates, p story about a shortage of® ink—this being an epoch TV* ages—may be made to vincing: hut the soundest 'J* of the situation, in default public making sure. it votes for, is new machines for the same orthodox ously and controlled "ijy lMm. private coterie ot I am, .etc., i , ' '*". . [lt should be above letter wa s "written, what & been described as an: for exports, and creased coal production, 'k« announced from England.- ,]! details were published 1 W The to of Plenty Times on: : ;Satufaaj>j Times.]' '•■.. k,-_