UNEMPLOYMENT IN NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22201, 18 September 1937, Page 20

UNEMPLOYMENT IN NEW ZEALAND

TO THB BDITOB OV r'alß PKBBS. Sir,—Mr Hiram Hunter in his zeal for finding employment for men overlooks the main issue, viz., distribution of goods, failing to see that it is really the goods that are wanted, not work; and if these goods were well distributed, the possession of them would entail work in looking after them and keeping them in order. If I have taken the right meaning Out of his letter, he advocates restricting imports and increasing exports. Why increase exports if we are not to have the equivalent amount of imports distributed? It is like giving men work and depriving them of the reward of their labour. It is this system of nationalisation and trade barriers which has a lot to do with the world trouble and unemployment—this refusal to accept the services of our fellow-men, either as consumers or producers, for both are necessary factors for distribution. There are other countries not so favourably situated as New Zealand with regard to food supply; in fact they are comparable to men on sustenance, and because of racial distinction, we put up barriers against their exports, thus blocking to a large extent their access to our surplus iroods. These tactics tend to keep them on the bread line, which becomes very irritating. So much so that it looks that by our refusal to accept their merchandise on a fair exchange basis we are liable to have some hard stuff fired at us free gratis. I think if Mr Hunter will ro further into the matter he will find that distribution is at fault, not production. —Yours, etc., W. WELD. September 17. 1937.