Work, for Youths

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 222, 15 June 1932, Page 11

Work, for Youths

Sir, —Ou perusing your report in Friday’s issue on the Auckland and Web lington depstation re “Work for Youths,' I notice the Prime - Minister stated that he was unable to do all he would like to do on account of finance. Sir, should not it be more a matter of policy than finance? The Government has it within its power to place those 20,000 boys in legitimate work by bringing hack to New Zealand those industries which were here when we ourselves were youths. Our fathers and grandfathers, the pioneers of this Dominion, built up those industries to make the country prosperous, and always to give the rising generation a start in life. We, the present generation, in our mad rush for cheapness and profit, have done everything in our power to destroy those industries that we might have more and still more of goods, the product of cheap overseas labour. In so doing we have robbed our boys of their means of livelihood. The position is this, sir: we have either to bring those industries back to the Dominion or make arrangements for the employment of our boys in the factories overseas as a condition of the purchase of goods. As the second condition is practically impossible the first must prevail. Justice, must be. done to our boys and our industries rehabilitat-

ed. The placing of those 20,000 boys in work is, I maintain, the key brick of the present economic situation, for in placing those boys, 50,000 men would automatically be employed. Of our production 60 per cent, is locally consumed and 40 per cent, exported. Is it not a better plan, instead of destroying the 60 per cent, home consumption in an endeavour to build np the 40 per cent, exports, to try and increase the 60 per cent, home consumption to, say, 80 per centi, and neglect the export expansion for the time being, for we are selling to a market overseas over which we have no control? Internal industry could be augmented by two methods—protective tariffs or by a quota for the capacity of the New Zealand factories to the industry concerned —fey this latter method local industry to have first call over the requirements of the Dominion over imports. Take your report in to-day’s paper on the wheat industry. It is stated ‘‘lf the imports are not controlled quantities in excess of requirements would probably come into the country, and this would result in an increase in carryover and low prices to the New Zealand wheatgrower next season." A tariff would never stop this happening unless it amounted to an embargo. In that case we would hare to pay heavily for wheat this season that we cannot produce locally. Not so with a quota system ; enough wheat would be let In to meet requirements and no more, and the farmer would feel secure about next year’s crop. The consumer would not have to foot any tariff at all, but would pay the farmer a just price in return for his labour each season. In return the farmer would buy New Zealandmade implements to work his land. With a quota for New Zealand industries, together with the necessary license of imports. 20.000 boys and 50,000 men could be placed in employment, and a sympathetic Prime Minister could say. as Dickens’s famous character did: It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done”! —I am. ete.. G. H. WILKIN. Wellington, June 11.