THE CAUSE OF DEPRESSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 3

THE CAUSE OF DEPRESSION.

k-Sir,—At the' present -and for some time back.we m New' Zealand have been- suffor.ing for the iwant-of capital and work'for the ,in-a-hy.iinempl6yed;;'a'hd;nkny.havo' given their .roasons serious/depression./ But; sir I am snro it is.not the'faultof our country' 'for wo'arc blessed'with ono of the most-pro-ductive in tho'world, and possessing all kinds '.of : mineral/wealth ■■m vast" quantities. Of dote years' our; stock : and -harvests have been ;,mbst abundant./ I am surprised tlie workers cannot see that they themselves are .the main cause of this great 'depression. .=■ We read that : there are .two millions' of unemployed' people 'in-tho ;United'Kingdom, and'can we wonder -when wo.read how the labour unions have 'harassed/.the :lar"e. drroloyors /.'and • ca'.UMd tnomsuckheay'y.losscs? Also, lately in Australia," notice the criminal.actions of the lah.buru/uons destroying tho property of.those 'who gave their, families food. - Is it any wonder -the' large-contractors at Homo have-de-clined -to tender for large works advertised through the'uncertainty of the unions: By tho, workers' - own actions ' they have driven ■the commerce- from Britain, aiid so built up the German, rivalry. Again, can wo wonder that so: many of the British manufacturers •are moving, and have removed their plants and business to Belgium and other countries. Who can blame them after the treatment they .have received/from the workers if they built up their, factories in Ohina?.

■•' If,the late Premeir, Mr: Seddon, and Sir Joseph Ward had. net pandered, 'to the labour ■vote"we' would'not ho now suffering this'depression, and our.Dominionso hindered in its progress. The Hon. .T. A.-Millar-was. tho first Labour agitator to bring this upon our .voting colony. Why should-there bo a Minister for Labour and none for the employer f

t What good reason can the workers gain from i such, agitators as Messrs.' M'LaTen and Ooli Ens? I felt sorry to read of our Prime Minr ister a few mortis back dramming with Tom ; Mann in Wellington. I have been here from > boyhood, and there was never any trouble i with Labour until the maritime strike in tie • 'eighties. Within this colony in 1863 tho car- > penters in Wellington received lis. per day. ' The same up to 1878, for 46 hours por week, i but they did an honest day's work. Now they do, far less work and get'less pay. I 1 oonsider it degrading to be an employor now, [ subject to the paltry complaint of any indif--1 ferent worker, to be brought before a Judge and imprisoned or fined. We read of the Magistrate fining a father for allowing his son to assist him in his labour. Only a limited number of onr children can. learn, a trade. We must only .employ members of unions: Why should.this.class have aUthese privileges? They refuse to assist to defend the, country. • Is it not as,clear as daylight the cause of this depression? I cannot see any prospects of improvement or advance in our industries, or of new manufactories. starting in New Zealand while the present law exists. What person with any capital would be foolish enough to.start any industry to work up? Some :of. the large amount of raw material we export; to find work for peoplo in other, lands. Notico the fishery trouble in Napier, not two years in existence. How can we expect capital : to-be lent to. us,for. manuiactorv . purposes under such circumstances? The immense number of skins, tie wool, hemp, tallow, and other produce pre exported to give work ekewfcere. Years back the tanneries here made up most of the leather "we used; now they are mostly closed. Most of our timber is exported in an nndressed state. It is a sad mistake to pay members of Parliament. We get tho wrong class—all mouth and, no brains. In the early-days we had gentlemen-for, members.., I would be sorry for, the. workers to. suffer any -injustice, for I have been one from boyhood. I itnist the workers will give more thought, and strive forjmore mutual good aid better'feeling. I would like to see the Government rid itself of the Labour Department, with its nsoless host ofldrones. If this Dominion wishes to advance we must- alter, the present Labour laws, .and give assistance to work and manufactures, and develop our immense mineral and produce wealth.—Lam, etc., . . . ■; '',■-"•.' -'/.'.. CHAS. SIMMONDS. -June 20.