NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 272, 12 August 1932, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

In the opinion of the Wellington Importers’ Association the Government by increasing Customs duties for the purpose of revenue has largely defeated its own object, and in addition held up the cost of living at a time when it is very necessary that it should drop. Ihe Association, of course, is merely emphasising the truth embodied in the Law of Diminishing Returns, the operation of which has been manifest in other forms of taxation. Lower taxation and increased spending power are the objectives on which the Government should-now concentrate its attention. Any loss from a reduction of taxation on imports would before long be balanced by increased importations, and increased sales. The Railways Board has already tested the merit of the same economic truth by reducing fares and as a result increasing its traffic. Surely the moral is plain. ••* • •

Ever since unemployment became acute, one of the chief difficulties lias been to place men fit only for light work in town. At the beginning relief works were chiefly of the pick and shovel; type. With the advent of the Unemployment Board more attention was given to devising constructive and reproductive tasks. Even so most of the schemes call for manual labour out of doors. Office work in the Labour Bureaux has not absorbed many light workers. In a sense this diversion of so much labour into manual work has prejudiced the navvy class but at least the pick and shovel man finds it easy to hold his place on relief works. His skill is not completely discounted as in the case of the B2 men or light workers.. The Wellington City Mission has again drawn attention to the destitution which has overtaken the latter class. Nor is it easy to suggest a practical solution. No doubt the Unemployment Board is working on the problem and, if other minds were directed on it, some acceptable occtipatio'nal schemes might be devised. • > ‘ ,

The importance of character, and of the influences that make for character, was stressed in convincing language, by the GovernorGeneral, speaking at Christchurch on the occasion of the unveiling of the Cook Memorial. Lord Bledisloe remarked that the names of the great navigator’s three ships, Endeavour, Resolution and Discovery, were characteristic of the qualities of the distinguished captain who directed their adventures into the uncharted seas. “Discovery of an environment of assured and lasting happiness/.’ said his Excellency, “can only be attained by endeavour coupled with resolution. That is a sentiment particularly appropriate to these times. It is an appeal to the qualities of character that enable men and women to face adversity with fortitude and perseverance, secure in the conviction that only through the exercise of these will they win through. His Excellency’s remarks might be used! as a text impressing the need for stronger emphasis to be placed on character training in our schools. Paternal government and education made easy has softened our fibre. As Lora Bledisloe observed, “a modern education, however complete, provides no substitute for the robust mental and moral equipment which raised James Cook to eminence.”

It was not ; to be expected that the decision of the Railways Board to close the passenger-train service on the Foxton line would pass without local protest. Some deference is due, of course, to criticism that has substance in it. It is not easy, however, to accord the same indulgence to the argument used by the. Palmerston North Branch of the Labour Party against the Board’s action. The railways, the Branch is reported to have resolved, are the property of the people, and should be used for the people’s benefit. How can a railway run at a loss which adds to the burdens of the taxpayers be. a benefit, to the people? Is it not a community burden the lightening of which would be a real benefit? Social services “for the people’s benefit” are costing this country far too much. Future proposals in this category must be considered from the standpoint of what , we can afford. Competitive bidding by political parties has led to all manner of vote-catching propositions decorated by such phrases as “social service,” and “for the people’s benefit.” Now that the country is being called upon to pay the piper, people are beginning to wonder whether they were not better off when they had to obtain such benefits through their own individual efforts.