WHO WILL PAY?

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 181, 28 April 1924, Page 8

WHO WILL PAY?

Sir, —I have just read a statement on “the railway situation” signed by the Hon. J. G. Coates. It is very encouraging at such a time of stress to find a Minister of the Crown appealing to the public to treat the matter as a piece of statecraft on reasonable lines.

All those of us who have known poverty and the small pay received by manual labour sympathise with men who want to better their position and pay. But we cannot back them when their demands involve injustice to a larger number. _ It appears to me that the pay and privileges of railway men, as set down oy the Minister, are one cf the reasons why country youth are attracted away from productive work. Unless the drift of population from country to town is arrested, New Zealand will gradually become bankrupt. If the railwaymen aro among them, to receive additional payment of a million a.year, some other group has got to receive a million a year less. What group shall that be? If the railway and other Civil servants are to be guaranteed wages enough to maintain a standard of living, is it not reasonable that their employers sliould have the same guarantee? This is an impossibility, because the money available for distribution depends on the total receijits for our exports, the amount of which is quite beyond our control.

In envying the large leaseholder his good income and luxurious life, the public is apt to forget that such men pay in very large amounts to the public purse, and that their numbers are comparatively small. Statistics show that most landholders in New Zealand are small men, who work 50 ]>er cent, more hours than the railwaymen for a smaller wage. During the slump thousands of such men found their incomes reduced by one half, but the Civil Service got their full pay, right through, apart from war bonus. If wages are to be fixed by law, the minimum wage of a servant should not be more than the minimum wage of his employer, any addition to that should bo in proportion to tho gross exports of the Dominion. If that was done it would create a bond of sympathy between the Civil Service and the public, and would make us realise lietter how dependent we are on one another’s industry. I believe if the men study Mr. Coates’s statement and the general position, they will realise it in reasonable to resume work on the Minister’s terms rather than lose their positions. — I am, etc., W.B.M.

REFUSING TO FACE FACTS Sir. —Amidst the turmoil surrounding the present agitation amongst State empic yeop, there ar- two or

three points which primary producers should carefully watch. I'. 11 ' 8 ?’, and perhaps foremost, is the Soviet intention of the official Labour Party, as enunciated by Mr. Monteith. M.l .. the other day in Wellington. viz.: “The employers produce nothing ana take most. . . Onr position is that the workers should take the lot, and wo arc going to keep going untl we get it.” Secondly, there is the cry that State undertakings should not be expected to pay even a small interest return. And, thirdly, that even the Leader of the Opposition— Mr Wilford—will not stand for any reduction in the wages of any man. in the receipt of £1 Is. per day a 44-Tiour week- If Mr. M uford could tell us how thousands upon thousands of farmers could be assured of £320 per year, working as thev do a 60 and 70-hour week, we would all say “Hear,hear. Mr. Holland often and often lias told us that it is only the mortgage which prevents the farmer so doing. Quite likelv. What is the inference.-' That we should go on strike against the mortgage? Such must lie the inference. or it means nothing. Like the Leader of the Opposition, he refuses to face facts. Mr. Massey and his party are facing facts of a very disagreeable nature. .The tacts are that it is not easy to divide a carcase into five quarters. If one cares to examine the export and import figures for the past 20 vears it will be seen that while in 1903, other than primary products accounted for 33 per cent, of our exports. Since 1920 less than 9 per cent, has come from the same source. The plain facts are that the gospel preached by Mr. Monteith and his friends has crushed, crippled or driven out almost every industry but our great primary industry. It is kept afloat—and is keeping the whole country afloat —by reason of the fact that those carrying it on refuse to bo beaten- Smithfield and Tooley Street are the taskmasters, which refuse to be intimidated by any system of strike however just- So if the industry won’t pay at 48 hours, the only alternative is 54, 60, and <O hours. We, as primary producers, do not ask that any man should be called upon to work the hours our industry demands of us; but we do object when men who fail to make enough to live upon in 48 hours, ask us to carry the load thev do not feel inclined to carry themselves. All the talk about wool kings, etc., is by no means convincing when facts are examined. As to their being the driving force behind Mr. Massey—■ bunkuni. Statistics show that there are some 24.000 owners in the woolproducing industry, and 60,000 in the dairying industry. If all those owning "1000 sheep or over were registered as electors of. say. Wellington Central. they would not poll sufficient to defeat the sitting member. —I am, etc., A. D. McLEOD. Wairarapa. April 26. 1924-