CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 71, 25 March 1931, Page 15

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

POINTS FROM LETTERS

"A Pair, Deal1' urges that when economy is necessary the Government should investigate Hie superannuation paid to retired Public servants, that the pension schemes should be self-supporting, and that the country should not '"pay on-enormous sum into a scheme to provide pensions for a privileged section of the community." The correspondent agrees with '"reasonable pensions," but riot with existing conditions.. "Mr. Semp'le, M.P., deserves the thanks oE the community in his endeavour to probe .this matter. It is hoped the figures he asked for in the House will be supplied and the information -will-be made public under the following headings: (a) Persons in receipt o£ over "£3OO a year pension, and amounts in each case; (b) similarly in cases of servants' not yet retired; (c) paid into the superannuation fund by individuals enabling them to draw these pensions; (d) total amount paid into funds to date by the country." . ." "I know of several cases where single girls have actually been. ; discharged to make room for newly married women in shops and offices also (writes "A Single Working Woman"). :■. Is it not time that the Government took steps to prohibit such injustice? Should some be able to bank money while others are almost starving?" "We are informed-by the Minister of Bducition, in reply to the demand for more business men in the' House, that: 'The cry was one of the most foolish that could be raised/ also that 'Parliament could not adopt the same methods as concerns whose object was to make money" (writes Thos. J. L.). .'"Well,_ to my way of reasoning any successful business is only and solely maintained by prudence, foresight, zeal, enterprise, dictated by caution. I venhire to assert that Mr. Atmore cannot point to any of these principles-^so far a= the. important''matters .of. this Dominion arc concerned—being noticeable in C.veniment actions. To take only one Department, the Railways, wliat would the position be to-day had some business methods and enterprise, plus caution, been manifest in handling such a wealthy undertaking or business? Surely he does not apply the term 'foolish' to those who so earnestly desire tto stop the enormous annual deficits?" The writer quotes the Prime Minister's statement that one of the principal causes of this year's deficit is the failure of the Railways to pay in-' terest on capital and he submitsthat it is common-sense to try to stop this leakage by the application "of business methods. "I doubt whether a more able speech, couched in terms of right versus might, has previously been reported in your columns than the speech of Sir Francis Bell on the proposed wage cut" (writes T. 0. Tremayne). The correspondent' suggests that recent statements would lead people to believe me country to be on the verge of bankruptcy, yet' when the earthquake disaster came .almost, a quarter of a million was subscribed voluntarily. Then came an announcement that the "London Reserve Fund", (of which the laymen knew nothing) was to be drawn on for £1,250,000 and "now we have Sir Francis Bell's statement to the effect that accumulated cash surpluses, • £2,000,000, presumably reserves, are lying untouched in the Treasury, and there is £1,250,000 to the credit of the Post Office, probably as the result of universal penny postage. Previously published figures inform us that fixed deposits in trading banks, plus savings bank deposits, are to-day £10,000,000 in excess of what they were in 1925. In the face of facts, the lay mind naturally asks itself 'what is behind this present panic legislation?' Criticism falls flat without it be backed by constructive suggestion. Sii Francis Bell, evidently realising this, sug.gestn that a tax on tea and sugar would, while hardly being felt, provide equitable alternatives, to inequitable wage cuts. Slaking wage cuts, thereby further depressiug trade, is not the way of solving the present financial problem." The correspondent concludes that New Zealand will become prosperous again only when tho' fictitious price of laud is forced down 1.0 a level at which butter and wool may be produced at a profit. Lengthy comment is made by "/'Creel it Where Credit is Drip" on. the assertion by another correspondent, "Face the Facts," that education is now overdone and that a huge reduction can, and should, bo made in the cost. The-.correspondent quotes tlio statement by the Chief Justice that ho had never had to complain of breach of faith by another member of the Bar, and,the record of those New Zealanders who fought in King Edward's Horse. "We must admit that education has been responsible for 'no breach of faith' in the ;aJ profession, for the devotion to duty of those New Zealanders who fought in King Edward's Horse, and knowing, as wo do, that the. aim of education is, : to produce the honourable and useful citizen, how on earth can any man conceive ol education's being overdone? . . . Accord ing to all reports, the-purchasing power of the sovereign,. has. dropped considerably since 1014, and 'seeing that the nation has grown since then, it is .clear that education expenditure has not increased by the difference between 53s 3d and 23s Id, i.e., by 30s 2d per head of mean population. . . . The salary of a headmaster,. £444, has been gained after 25 or 30.years' service. Does this compare at all favourably with the earnings from some of the other pro? fessions? The wealthy "lawyer and business man contributes his share of education taxation, . ( ahd' surely, he is entitled to some return'for hisi.money.- . Further, what the Government: pays for education is but a. part of the total outlay on this modern 'day necessity. Nearly every school has attached to it some sort of parents' association, which throughput the year is active in raising funds for the'-school. All over New Zealand we have.denominational schools, .private schools, commercial schools, correspondence colleges^r.all busy. What have they, along with the State schools, given New Zealand? An honourable, law-abiding, moral, intelligent democracy—a /priceless product...: Count the expenditure as.too much and'belittle the results, of our system. and the.: democ- j racy will cease to be intelligent." ' Commenting upon the speech made by | Mr. Forbes in moving the second reading of the Finance Bill, "Only a Woman" writes: ' "At this great financial crisis every woman is keenly interested because on her-falls the task of making the money she receives last as long. as she possibly can. 'Actual living/ as Mr.' Forbes remarks, certainly is. a trifle cheaper. Butter was low, but it is soaring again. Meat is cheaper, but that is not to be recommended as a diet for every meal. ' Evidently, though wages stand to be reduced, some commodities are to have" an increase in price. Utmost sympathy is very well and so is believing prices will fall more, but this is poor comfort to the woman, who has to spend the money. Especially sbould'she live .away from the cheap mar kets. Cost of living does not only mean food to the housewife. Clothes aud wool are still a tremendous'price. .. '. I note tho paragraphs on Customs revenue an<!

the huge decrease. This is quite easy t understand. People were debarred frorj dealing, in an easy way, with well-knowi houses in England, some time ago. Ew to send money Home is a financial prob lem and now there are squeals thai revenue is down. The recent increase in postal facilities will tell the same story. New Zealand possesses valuable brains among its women folk and in my humble opinion a few fine women in seats now occupied by male M.P.'s would prove an immense asset to our. country." '