THE NORMAN LOCKYER LECTURE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21685, 20 January 1936, Page 9

THE NORMAN LOCKYER LECTURE

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir.—“ Analyst” says, with regard to Sir Josiah’s Stamp’s treatment of the problem of poverty in the midst of plenty, “I fear there are some who nurse the idea that a universal abundance is also possible.” Why fear such a logical attitude? Rather, may they certainly keep on nursing this pregnant idea till it becomes very much an objective fact for every individual now so needlessly denied. Abundance is already an accomplished fact, industrially and agriculturally,

except for its totally inadequate distribution to the ever-ready and necessary consumers, whom an ineffective monetary system will not allow to consume. Who to-day can pretend that there is not an abundance for all, and indeed, a still more prodigious plethora of good things potentially, if .producers were only given carte blanche to produce through consumers being allowed their right legitimately to consume. Think of the prodigies science has accomplished to abolish scarcity. Authorities tell us that, for instance, 4000 farm workers can now mechanically cultivate what 100 years ago would have required an army of 5,000,000 men. In the Fen district in England celery has been mechanically planted at the rate of 25,000 plants an hour. Three men can turn out 700,000 cigarettes an hour, once the output of 700 men in the same time. One girl, tending 25 machines, can produce 3600 pairs of socks a day. A boot machine in Los Angeles, with a complement of about half-a-dozen employees, can turn out 1000 pairs of

shoes a day. One glass bottle making machine can now produce a million bottles a week, and each such machine displaces 300 men and boys. A bollmaking machine with a man and a boy can equal the previous manual output of 6000 men. Flour has been turned out at the rate of 3000 barrels a man a day, against the old primitive output of one barrel a day. And this is only a hint of the staggering revolution in productive methods. Wholesale sabotage has been resorted to in vain to curtail the prodigal abundance. Twelve million pigs and cattle were destroyed in the United States of America, and half a million cattle in the Argentine; 40,000,000 gallons of milk were poured down the drain in England. Produce ; in vast quantities has been destroyed j in many countries; and so on, ad

nauseum. Dr. Norwood said recently; “We have no technique for handling abundance. The world is frightened of the etrth’s fertility, and is practising contraception upon the seeds of wheat, on wool, sugar, cotton, silk, rubber, rice, tin, and coffee, stifling at birth the fundamental necessities to man, for fear of disturbing prices.” This is not the least overdrawn. It is no use suggesting, as “Analyst” docs, that “wc should all have to work longer and harder;” no, not on any pretext whatever. Statistics show production piles up so stupendously, so correspondingly and paradoxically employment shrinks, and the acute unemployment problem the world over is the unnecessary result. The hateful word “unemployment” will some day be changed to its right term, “leisure.” We have yet to plan for the abundant and cultural leisure that science is so generously forcing upon us, not as a penalty, but as a boon the world can afford, and which a ramshackle financial system is trying to wreck for us to suit its own selfish ends. It is, without question fighting at its last ditch to-day, and it knows it.—Yours, etc., EMPTOH. January 17, 1936.

TO THE EDITOR OF TflE PRESS.

Sir.—“ Analyst” assumes in his letter that the national income will still be dependent on the profits accruing from production. If the Labour Government fulfils its mission, the national income will no longer be limited by the profits on internal and overseas trade. It will make the volume of the New Zealand national income. It may not say that the total income will be £150,000,000 per annum—or any particular sum, it will augment the income derived from national and international trade by issuing a certain amount of free money for works of development. This money will find its way into circulation by maintaining a minimum wage, public works, and as subsidies to prices. There is no reason why New Zealand should not increase her internal and overseas trade, but there is no denying the fact that New Zealand production over the last four or five

years (during the worst of the depression) was highly satisfactory. The failing point has been the prices ruling. Here again the Labour Government will remedy the defect by guaranteeing prices. "Analyst” need have no fear; people will work all right. A pleasant rivalry for position will keep them going. People naturally keep their end up; they only let their end slip after disappointment by repeated checks, due

to the general shortage of money. It is to be hoped that by making the arbitration courts effective, industrial

disputes (I mean direct action) will be eliminated. The last word in disputes should be given by a representative of the Government, and if the dissatisfied are not appeased, they should wait for the general election and put the Government out. , The work of the Government is to cater for all sections. Because it had a better understanding of this the Labour party won. “Analyst” suggests the elimination ot unproductive occupations. The attempts to do this were one of the greatest moves for aggravating the depression. Income is not dependent on essential production: it is dependent on those who Ilave the control of the issue of money. Those who will issue the money in New Zealand in the future will do well if they issue sufficient, above the amount x-equired foressential production, for the development of these little unessential things which make life moi’e worth living Yours, etc., b ' T KAYE HOE. January 19, 1936.