EXPENDITURE ON PUBLIC WORKS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 147, 18 March 1937, Page 10

EXPENDITURE ON PUBLIC WORKS

Business Man’s Warning

KEEP UNESSENTIAL JOBS FOR BAD TIMES Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March .17. \ warning that there was grave danger of a collapse of New Zealand’s present prosperity and that the money now being spent on public works should be conserved so that men could be absorbed in time of crisis, was given today by Mr. M. G. C. McCaul, Wellington, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce. With the object ot explaining to Auckland business men the thoughts running through the minds of business men in Welliugton concerning past ami future Labour legislation, Mr. McCaul is making a special visit to Auckland and he hopes to be able to explain on his return to Wellington the attitude of Auckland business men.

Mr. McCaul declared that the Dominion was first and foremost dependent on overseas trade. Farmers and city people were dependent entirely on the prosperity of New Zealand s customers overseas, that is, upon the spending power of the working people overseas. They were the people who ate New Zealand's butter, cheese and meat and wore the clothes made from New Zealand wool. “In my view’ we should close down as tightly a.s possible on public works with’the object of conserving our finances. Farmers at present are crying out for labour and therefore there is not the necessity at the present time for large employment on public works, but when a crisis comes it will be the duty of the Public Works Department to absorb as much labour as possible. Only works of absolute necessity should be undertaken in times of prosperity, so that in times of depression the Public Works Department could provide work for large numbers of men. That would iron out. the creases between prosperity and depression.” Reference to State interference in business was imide by Mr. McCaul. It was the duty of the Stale to govern, he said. If an individual did wrong it was the duty of the State to punish him. If a pickle manufacturer produced and sold bad pickles to the public it was the duty of the State to stop him ami safeguard the public. But it was not the duty of the State to make pickles itself. The State should regulate trade but not trade itself.