CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 106, 7 May 1931, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE

ELEMENTS' THAT COUNT

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —New Zealand in the past haa always been able to pride herself that her standard o£ living, ii: not better, has been equal to anything in the world. To-day that standard is being lessened through *■ variety of causes over which we have little control,. principally and . mainly among them being the drop in values or' the world's "commodity prices," creating revenue shrinkages in not only New Zealand, but also other countries. Under these- circumstances, and especially .when the national .finances are in a straitened condition, belts have to be tightened, reductions and allowances made, and a greater care exercised in our spending powers than formerly. The lessened income has still to go round (all haviug to live), ivork rationed, and distributed at evenly as it is humanly possible to do so. .

Those who are fortunate enough to bu engaged in steady constant employment should be grateful and satisfied, but w« find that iv hundreds o£ cases this is aou so. .

In reading "Frater's appeal in your issue of 29th April, and realising the sincerity of that appeal on behalf of tho unemployed women, one is reminded forcibly of some of the present-day evils that go unchecked, and undoubtedly do accentuate' the difficulty of finding work for all. For instance, there are to-day many young married women occupying positions on good salaries, while at tha same time their husbands are also permanently employed, earning sufficient for the maintenance of both. There: are exceptions, we know, through accident, sickness, or loss ,o£ work, the women 'have to be1 the breadwinners, but scores of young warned women arc holding positions they have, no necessity or a right to hold, while unfortunate ones, many, our own New Zealand daughters, have to tramp the streets in .vain, and finally; resort to charitable assistance (repugnant to them), as suggested by "Frater." ■ Typical examples are as follows: —(1) Husband, clerk, permanent position, salary £5 12s 6d; wife counter-hand departmental store, permanent position, weekly wage £3 12s 6d; no children, (2) Husband, painter, paperhanger, two years' residence in the Dominion,- permanent position, on salary £6 weekly; wife, counter-hand, departmental store, weekly wage, permanent position, £2 12s 6d; no children. (31 Husband, driving town van, permanent wages £4 12s 6d; wife, assistant city restaurant, permanent, .. £2 17s 6d; held same positions two years, not New Zealanders, no" children. The managers of these stores argue the women, are specially trained. In a lesser "degree this may be so, but in these positions any intelligent New Zealand girl ] could quite easily carry out these duties. Should a single girl be given the position it 13 more than likely she assists, and probably, is. the mainstay in the upkeep of other members of her family. In any case she id at least able to support and keep herself, respectable instead of being a charge on others. ' The principle applies also to men. in a small country district the clerk o£ the county council is in receipt of £500 a. year salary. He is also secretary for another local body in the same county at a further salary of ■£300—a total of £800 per annum. ~ The salaries and holiday allowances paid, to high officials in the Government Service and local bodies are out of all proportion to services rendered, livery iittla local body has • its officers, and salaries range from £700 to £1000 per annum, to say nothing of car expenses and other allowances. Check these with similar posts (and. the quantity of work -*o be performed) in the North of England, m "towns" larger than our so-called cities - "lo meet deficits we already know that further taxation is to be levied next^session. AU sources of revenue will be thoioughly combed, and it will be ioiind that steps will eventually have to be taken to stabilise industries* and bring about a moie even distribution of labour,, as well-as a gSer reduction in the: I^ger .salaries. Through tariffs, rates, taxes etc me today with large sums nvcstedm tteu business are on y existing, while eveiy day tods more seeking charitable relief —I am. etc

TAXES,