The Economic Bulletins.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19917, 2 May 1930, Page 14

The Economic Bulletins.

The latest Bulletin prepared by the Economies Department of Canterbury CdUege fo* the Chambe* of Commerce, and released to-day, 13 little more than a summary of the report of the Committee on Unemployment. It is of course a 1 useful summary and an authoritative due, arid will perhaps be read by more people, and understood by more, than the original report was or is ever lilseiy to be. It is not, however, except in this indireef way, a contribution to science,, or even an aid to clearer and sounder thinking. In 1 other words, it is not what we expect a- University document to be, and it will be a pity if the Chamber of Commerce is contest to become a mere purveyor of the (ordinary and obvious. These Bulletins nave been running so long, and have been so freely and so justly praised, that .it may seem ungracious to*cpmplain of the occasional disappointments. It must however be remembered that their publication puts the.UniVersity on a kind of perpetual public .trial, and that any lowering of the standard will have qtiitd unfortunate results. If we except what has been done in the natural and physical sciences, the issuing of these Bulletins is the most useful contribution the •University has yet made to the public welfare, and neither the Chamber of Commerce nor the University itself can afford to give the impression, even once, that' the task is being. carried out perfunctorily. Some of the Bulletins have been too long, some too dull, some.too indefinite, and one or two, like this one,, too superficial and meatn

less. It is no reflection on their compilers that this should be so. It is a reflection on those of us who praise them whether they are good or bad.