LABOUR IN PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17809, 7 July 1923, Page 19

LABOUR IN PARLIAMENT.

TO THE EDITOB OF "THE PRESS." Sir, —Mr Ramsay Macdonald's' speech at the meeting of the Labour Party in London, in which he condemned the action of the wild men of his party for damaging the cause of Labour in the eyes of all eober citizens, is to be applauded. Unless Labour sets her house in order she can hardly expect any chance of ruling by numerical superiority over other political parties until she has discarded these wild and, in many cases, unfitted men who now serve their cause. With our own New Zealand brand of LaSour before us, one can only wonder that the party, as a Party, does not insist on their leaders passing an exam., the same as a lawyer or doctor have to before they can practise their professions. Even plumbers and motor drivers have to be qualified, but Labour seems to be content with 1 len who have the gift of the tongue only for their certificate. (Vide your reports at our C.C. meetings on the bonus.) They have put in pleas such as follows-"Raid on wages, "Sneaking the kids' milk," etc. When Mr Downie Stewart announces in J. arliament that sugar control ceases in August, Mr Fraser asks whether the price will go up? If ho will but refer to any work on "economics" (sub. supply and demand) he will learn that prices rise and fall according to .time, season, or any cause affecting the production favourably or contrary, lUe simplest example is the hen and her eggs. In winter she lays few, and prices are high, in summer her nest is full and prices are low. Mr McCombs the other day referred again to the 1914 standard, and also the low purchasing power of the sovereign. Why does he take 1914 as the standard? Was 1914 better than 1814 or 1714? A standard in economics (producing section) is impossible in a fixed sense, and can be used for comparative purposes only. If seven fat years are followed by seven lean ones, for anyone to ask for the fat years' standard during the lean ones' period would be absurd. As regards the sovereign's purchasing power, hns Mr McCombs over thought of its selling power also? A fall in one (purchase) means a rise m the of.ior The lady who was assured by a worthy milkman that she could rely on his milk as it had been "paralysed by the Public Anarchist" must have smiled, and when I read of Mr MeCombs's purchasing power of the noor title sovereign I, too. smile, — Jours, etc., W. H. SAXBY. Christchurcb, July oth, 1923.