NATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16350, 23 October 1918, Page 6

NATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

ADDRESS BY MR G. T. BOOTH. An interesting address on "Efficiency an Imperial Necessity," was delivered by Mr G. T. Booth to tho monthly meeting of the Industrial Association of Canterbury last evening, when Mr A. F. Drayton presided over a fair attendance. Efficiency and proficiency, said Mr Booth, had now sprung into unmistakeable importance. The -war had awakened us rudely, but if it_ had been deferred the awakening iniglit have come too late. At any rate, we should take its Jeasons to heart, and gird ourselves up for the future. The British >: financial system a few years ago hadbeen looked upon as an uncollapsible , edifice on a foundation of rock, but -at the first breath of war, that rock had crnmbledj and the odifico had fallen down, and the Stato had to pledge tho credit of the nation. It was-now a , matter of common knowledge that tho British financial system could not boar tho strain of a war, .or anything of a comparable quantity, and that was a matter which must be attended to. fora sound financial system was one of the most important parts of a nation's foundation. What had happened to the British financial system at tho he* ginning of the war also applied to the sj stem of industry, and oven after tho Avar broke out, it was not realised that the industrial systom was,tottering until it broke down. As in the case of finance, tho Stato had had to step in. What had apparently been lacking • largely in British industry had been tho appreciation of efficicncy of publio service. Thero was far too much conservatism, and co-ordination ' and eo«, operation of the various units was an r ossential to the success of industry.- As the late Lord Rhondda had said, the socrct of industrial success was to make goods, and sell them, and Mr Booth proceeded to make various suggestions how production and exportation conld bo furthered. Perhaps most people, ho continued, looked askance at private monopoly, and cquallv so at any incur-* sion by tne State in industry and commerce. Suroly some happy middle way could be evolved. He procecdod to point out tho State's failure in tho past to interest itself in commerce, etc~ and ho pointed out various ways in which tho Stato could make for greater eibciency if it would only interest itsolf sufficiently in the trading activities of the nation. That was a matter in which Germany could show us an ex; ample. In tact, tho co-opcrntion of tho Stato was not only a dosirable thing, but probably an Imperial necessity. Tho coming commercial war would not be between tho individual commercial men of the different nations, but between the nations themselves, properly organised. Germany would organise horsclf for a commercial war, as she had organised her forces for the present great struggle, and Bri- " tain must do tho same. Tho most efficient nation must "win out" in the long run, and if Britain were not equally prepared commercially with Germany, Japan, and tho other nations, nothing else she had would save hor again, Mr Booth wont on. tho political system ot Britain had broken down just as finance and industry had done, arid the speaker made various suggestions regarding altered suffrage, constituencies, otc., which might lead to a more successful political system. However, the wholo scheme of Empire must come under review within the near future. Mr Booth ehowod how methods in New Zealand were very much akin to those in Britain, a matter which noaded changing, and indicated various ways which would make for creator prosperity and efficiency of the Dominion. An interesting discussion followed tho address, and eventually Mr Booth was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.