DOMINION TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 66, 10 December 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

DOMINION TOPICS

A Note of Warning. A note of warning has been sounded to members of an Otago friendly society, who, in anticipation of the social security scheme, have been resigning their lodge membership. The advice of the lodge officers is that precipitate a-'tiou at this stage would be unwise. It is argued that, though the provisions of the Act are well known, there is no certainty that everything aimed at under it will be aehieved._ The interest of friendly society members is largely -confined to medical, .benefits and there is no statutory guarantee (hat these benefits will be available by April 1 next year, when the necessity will arise for finding the additional 4d in the £1 for the tax on wages. Indeed, the Act itself states that if arrangements for the effective administration of medical benefits cannot be completed before that date, they will be withheld till administrative difficulties are removed. Apparently the difference -of opinion ’netween fTie~’Governmeat and the doctors regarding the scope of health services lias not yet been solved, and by a too hasty withdrawal from lodge membership individuals may conceivably place themselves at a considerably, disadvantage. -—“New Zealand Herald.” The One Source of Real Wealth. There is no wealth except in production, and, as Mr. Semple says, the maximum reward comes from the maximum effort. When this’ lesson has been learned the stage will be set for a degree of co-operation leading to prosperity such as New Zealand lias never enjoyed before. It would be an exeellent thing, therefore, if the Minister could be induced to forget the past and press towards tlie mark of maximum production and maximum prosperity. He may defeat the excellent object he has in view by dwelling on what he calls "stupid comic opera strikes over trifles,” and insisting that big issues were at stake when he was engaged in strikes. Surely all strikes, whether the issues are big or little, are economically unsound, and the Minister might just as well frankly admit that when lie helped to organize strikes he blundreed not only from Hie national point of view but from the point of view of the workers themselves. Incidentally, his statement that unionism was outlawed in.the days of his strike experience is quite inaccurate, because before he ever came to New Zealand the Hou. W. I’. Reeves had made the trades unions an e. sential feature of his industrial conciliation and arbitration system.—Cliristeliurcb “Star-Sun.” Organizing for Emergencies. The British statesmen on major issues can but frame policy on lines approved by public opinion, at least till a crisis arises. That explains the distinction at Westminster and at Wellington to attempt voluntary organization of all service and resources available for defence in time of emergency. Great Britain has shown New Zealand a lead in the scope of tlie organization proposed and in the manner in which the Government lias taken the public into its confidence. It is a lead the Dominion Government might well follow. As in Britain, the scope and the will to serve are in existence in the Dominion. They must be applied with wisdom and according to plan if national defence is to be made secure. If the voluntary system fails to produce that result in Britain conscription will lie necessary and this has been indicated quite plainly by tlie Government. A similar appeal to public spirit and an equally plain warning would >be of service iu New Zealand, provided, of course, the authorities are prepared to indicate their plan of action and' the manner in which the average citizen can assist in carrying out the plan.—"Taranaki Daily News.” Industrial Arbitration at Stake. It is true, of course, that these strike methods might not have been attempted if the Government had adopted a firmer attitude toward strikers in tlie [>ast, and the Federation of Labour is not in a strong position for lecturing the unions while the charge that it deliberately boycotted the Second Court of Arbitration remains unanswered. But no doubt the Government'and the federation have come to realize in the last few weeks —if they did not realize it before —that an extension of the practice of employees striking because they object to the terms of their awards will lead rapidly to the. breakdown of the arbitration system. The Government is pledged to compulsory arbitration, tlie reintroduction of which was one of its first legislative acts. But the system will not work if employees who have voluntarily committed themselves to it accept its benefits without any of its responsibilities. The Government should insist that unions registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act must abide by the terms of the Act; and it should not hesitate to take full legal action where the arbitration system is abused. —“Southland Timos.” Compulsory Training.

In New. Zealand the policy of political Labour hasTieen opposed to compulsion of the individual in the matter of defence. With compulsion applied by the present. Government in so many of the activities of the State there seems to. be no valid reason why it should not be employed in this vital matter. In the earlier post-war years great hopes were reposed in the League of Nations. It was believed by many people that through its agency peace could be assured. .There, was even strong opposition by the Labour Party in England to the completion of the Singapore base on the ground that it was provocative and unnecessary. Now, as a result of world events in the last few years there has been a marked change of view, and it is realized everywhere thoughout the Empire that the obvious threats to democracy that exist call for adequate defence preparations. It has been made clear enough that in efficiency in such matters lies the only guarantee of security. Tn the circumstances there is every reason for giving serious consideration to the question of rhe reintroduction of a compulsory military training. Farmers and others, as well as Labour, opposed the system when it was in force before, but the new conditions that have arisen have profoundly altered the position.—Dunedin “Evening Star."

Tourists and the Towns. it should be realized that tourists do not travel thousands of miles to see the cities of the Dominion, which, aftei all, are merely convenient stoppingplaces between the more natural beautyspots. It may seem at first thought that the more accessible the- lake and mountain resorts become, the less will the cities gain directly from the tourist trade. But from the provincial amt national point of view, the prospects are decidedly rosy. The more that is done to enhance New Zealand’s reputation as the "playground of the Pacific,” the greater wi.lL.be the influx of visitors, and it is likely that the towns will benefit not only from the general stimulation of traffic, but also from the. increased number of travellers who. in the ordinary course of events, will undoubtedly spend part of their sojourn in the urban areas. —"Evening Star,” Dunedin. Soil Destruction.

Many East Coast farmers have lost fully one-third of their grazing lands through flooding and consequent silting. The loss of good grazing land through the ’growth of deserts, the drifting of sand, and the erosion of soil, is not peculiar to New Zealand. In fact, "empaied with the areas that have been rendered unfit for cultivation in Canada. the United States of America and Africa, our small acres pale into insignificance. However, from our viewpoint, the land destruction is a grievous loss. Tlie intention of Mr. Semple to set up a special branch of his, department to undertake the particular work that soil erosion problems demand, may lead to something valuable being achieved. Committees of engineers, scientists and forestry experts, have commenced investigations, and it is none too soon Every acre of this country is worth saving, so much does national welfare depend on its productiveness.—" Southland Daily News.”

A Two-edged Weapon. Tlie major obstacle to any increase in tariffs, however, is tlie danger of reprisals. So far as British goods, are concerned. New Zealand is bound by tlie Ottawa Agreement and, apart from this, cannot ignore tlie possibility of retaliatory action in tb form of quotas ou exports. Discriminatory tariffs against foreign goods also present a problem, more particularly in view of the present negotiations for a general lowering of trading barriers. It would never do, for instance, for the Dominion to jeopardize any chance of securing a reduction of tlie American tariff on wool, and action against other nations is restricted by most-fa votuednatiou clauses. So far as an increase in the rate of exchange is concerned, though this would effect an ali-rouud reduction in imports, it is only necessary to recall that the Government is pledged to restore the currency to parity with sterling, in any case, aelion in this. direction would furtl.ci embarass the Government in meeting its overseas interest payments ami would accelerate tlie already rising cost of living.—" Poverty Bay Herald " A Case for Prudence. Doubtless the decision of the Australian Government, will give renewed impetus to the movement that is taking shape in New Zealand in support of a plan that will permit the admission of a restricted number of European refugees into New Zealand. It is well, however, that the Government, which has to make the final decision, should approach this question with the utmost care. No attempts should be made by enthusiastic groups of sympathetic citizens to stampede the Government into taking a false step at this juncture. It is realized, of course, that the eyes of the world are on the Dominion at the moment, but that fact should not influence the Government in any way. The question of opening tlie gates of this country to admit any large number of foreign refugees from Europe calls for the most careful consideration of all factors, before a sound and just decision can be made by the Government, upon whose shoulders reposes the whole responsibility of contributing its full share in finding a solution of a pressing problem of unprecedented complexity. —"Timarn Herald.”

Wrong Food. When a disturbing number of instances of "malnutrition” were brought to public notice a few years ago, there was some discussion as to how much the conditions revealed were doe to insufficiency of food and how much to wrong food.* Today, after years of prosperity, "malnutrition.’’ in nearly everv case, must be due to the second cause. As Dr. Elizabeth Bryson said in an address in Wellington. "We are compelled, if we are honest, to admit that our problem is not insufficient food, but wrong food and wrong food habits.” But food habits are notoriously difficult to alter: there is uo subject upon which people are less susceptible to advice, or less likely to admit that they need advice. The same people who deplore the high percentage of defective teeth, or the high incidence of goitre, in the community, are often unwilling to trace these conditions, which are effects, back to their cause, and to remove the cause. Yet it cannot be pointed out too often that in recent years great advances have been made in knowledge of nutrition, and no country is better placed than New Zealand is to benefit from it.—" Auckland Star.”

The Harvest of Unsound Policy. It is unfortunate for the Minister of Railways that he has had to make his announcement coincide with one from the Minister of Marketing in respect of an increase in the retail price of butter, and doubly unfortunate for the housewife that she has also just learned of another advance —that in the. price of coal. From now onwards the domestic budget will require more careful management than ever, for it is certain, as has already been suggested, that other cost rises will result directly from the increased cost of goods transport. The farmer will have to accept a proportionately reduced return from his wool, fat stock and other produce, and he may well be pardoned, in the circumstances, for wondering bow in the face of this added difficulty, he is to assist the Government to achieve its goal of increased production. These are considerations important in themselves: but they cannot obscure the central fact that the imperative need for improving the balance of railway accounts has forced the Government lo adopt still another cost-raising expedient. —“Otago Daily Times.”