Capital and Labour

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 171, 16 April 1931, Page 11

Capital and Labour

Sir, —1 trust you will grant me space to air my views on Capital and Labour. Should some one in the near future not correct the ignorant ideas held by our so-called Labour leaders, then goodness help us before long. Two wrongs have never been known to make a right and there is no question but that both sides are equally wrong to-day. While Labour has the power of the world to work upon (namely, brains and muscle), they will never achieve anything better than they have to-day unless they give up the absurd idea of a revolution, -go-slow, strike, etc. Surely the fair-minded, level-headed working classes can see the good that has been achieved by the dairy farmers of the Dominion through the aid of co-operation, and largely cutting out the proprietary factory, this section of the community form largely the backbone of New Zealand, and if our so-called working classes want those farmers to join them they must drop their present tactics and realise that there is a far better way to be found out of our troubles than ever there is to be obtained under present methods. One hears no end of trash to-day from the lips of Messrs. Holland and Co., such as we must organise as we have never done before, and be prepared to fight to the last ditch. What trash, to be sure. What is the value of the millions being spent upon present day education when those who are turned out by our state schools cannot see the absurdity of this, and such absurd statements. I would suggest to our education Minister and boards that education as being taught today is far and away worse than no education at all. Teach the boys and girls of to-day that they are to become the men and women of to-morrow, and that it entirely depends upon how they are reared and educated how the world will be run in the near future. By one class fostering wealth and the other class fostering ideas of ignorance and laziness, where pray will we eventually get to. While wealth is far from what it should be, it is far better than nothing. At least I think the labourers and their leaders will admit that we still hold law and order, But should both sides continue as at present then I say there is very serious trouble ahead. There are on this planet capitalists and capitalists—some small, some large, some particularly good, and some extremely bad. And the exact state of affairs obtains among our working classes. As I have previously said, two wrongs never made a right; that no one can deny that it is long past time we attempted to right matters. Most sensible people know that things are far from what they should be to-day, but no one so far seems to be able to put their finger on the weak spot. Most are content to sit down and growl and cry over spilt milk, and nothing can possibly be gained by that method. Would it not be a much wiser plan to see that our children are given while at school a much more common-sense education, and far less classical education, which nine' times out of ten is entirely lost by the labouring classes within ten years of their leaving school. How many presentday scholars leaving school after receiving an ordinary State school education thoroughly understand the methods and working of our Government —very few of them know anything about it at all. Nor'arc they taught the true value of Tommy Atkins, who preserves law and order, the most essential thing we have on earth. One section of the community is overvaluing money by a million times, while the. other section is overvaluing laziness, etc., by the same amount. Strange to say, the majority of the labourclasses have a decided hatred.of Capital. Why that state of affairs exists is because those working classes never receiva common-sense education. Many people think common-sense can only be taught in the home —how foolish. If, for instance, the parents do not possess common-sense, then how in the name of fortune can they pass on to their children what they .do not possess? The whole of the poor children in New Zealand are bound, to attend school for a period of seven or eight years, and I say emphatically that it is the duty of those holding office in the education departments immediately to see that these things are attended to. It is a good old adage, “Bettor late than never.” Thanking you for your valuable space, —I am. etc.. F. J. RYDER. Otaki, April 8.