NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLVI, Issue 78, 2 April 1920, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Committees are at present inquiring into allegations of profiteering in the various centres of the Dominion. Complaints 'have 'been made that some

tradespeople are making excessive profits. The instruction to these committees to use their own initiative in seeking out the profiteer is one that will be generally commended. What is wanted is independent activity iby the tribunals dealing with this question, combined with ample opportunity for the public to bring forward their grievances for investigation. it is thus satisfactory to find that the whole onus of originating inquiry is not cast on the public, but that tribunals are to act generally as guardians of the people's interest in this matter. They have a difficult task, particularly in defining what shall be regarded as a ''reasonable '' profit. This is a matter on which there is wide divergence of opinion, out until we have agreed on sonic definite basis of arriving at it we are not likely to achieve 'much in our antiprofiteering crusade. The formulation of a sound basis would probably be welcomed as much toy the majority of business people as -by the public.

At the last general election the present Customs tariff was frequently criticised. It is over 13 years since, it was revised, and the announcement of Sir William Herries that the tariff is again to be thoroughly reviewed is not before its time. Attention has been directed from time to time by the various chambers of commerce to the numerous anomalies that have crept in in the course of years, and revision is necessary not only to rectify these, but also to meet the changes in the direction and nature of our overseas trade. Our commercial relations with the late enemy countries of 'Europe will also ■have to be defined as soon as a lead is given as to Imperial policy in this matter. Then, again, wo shall have to consider the advisableiic>s of giving further protection to encourage the establishment of secondary industries in the Dominion. A movement is now on foot in Australia with the object of bringing about the manufacture locally into woollen goods of the whole of the Australian wool clip, the idea being to push a concerted scheme to achieve this over a period of 15 years. It should be our ambitioiv also that some day New Zealand, with its abundant sources of power, shall export the whole of its wool clip in a manufactured form.

Xo ono in this country imagines that farmers ever think of striking. It is taken for granted that however much lie may 'be pin-pricked or made the subject of attack Jie will still piusue the even tenor of his way as a producer for the multi-tilde. In the.United States, however, the farmer has recently given his fellow-countrymen something of a shock. One of the Government Debarments, wishing to probe the reported discontent amongst the farming co;;i----munity there, circulated a "questionnaire" addressed to 200,000 farmers. The result was 40,000 replies which were couched in such terms as to set up quite a panic, in some quarters. Something like 30 per ceint. of the replies indicated that the writers contemplated either leaving their farm or cultivation because of their difficulties ami grievances. "What is the use of working 1-2 to 15 hours a day," wrote one farmer, ''when we can get more money for eight 'hours |in the city], with no money invested, nothing to lose and 16 tars for rest and recreation?'' This was a very common grouudi of grievance apparently amongst small farmers who hail suffered through price-fixing and the 'high profits taken by middle.mcn, while being called on to pay the high prices for "wearing apparel, farm implements, fertilisers, etc., used on the farm. That the unrest and discontent anrongst fanners in the United States is very widespread, is apparent, and judging from the numerous newspaper comments on the situation' it is occasioning a great deal of concern.