ARBITRATION COURT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 50, 27 August 1931, Page 15

ARBITRATION COURT

PRIMARY PRODUCERS CRITICISM

I A criticism of the Arbitration Court j was made by Mr. H. D. Aeland, president of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Federation, at the annual meeting of the federation held yesterday. "The considered policy of this federation, extending over a great many years, that the principle of statutory fixation of production costs under compulsory industrial legislation is against economic law, and must fail on falling markets, is being fully justified at the present time," he said. "We have alwaj^s contended that this principle has been a menace to tho genuine worker, that it has lowered the standard of living for many, especially those in the courttry districts, and is largely .responsible for the unhealthy growth of the big cities in New Zealand. "This has artificially kept up tho cost of production of primary products and really lowered the standard of living, and is doing. SO: still.. It has imposed an immense burdehof taxation and restrictive legislation upon the community, and especially, on. all primary producers, and there is no doubt that at the present time it is preventing thousands of men from obtaining genuine economic:employment. "So long as Parliament, which is, after all, only a: reflex of■ the opinion of tho electors, insists ..through '. the Arbitration Act and restrictive legislation o- making- the production of things in-New Zealand more and more difficult and expensive, it is absurd to complain of poverty ant lack of general employment. If the present, conditions, continue New Zealand must soon be forced back to sound .economic conditions, because the entry of borrowed money is certain to stop, abruptly. These conditions .must, of necessity, be much harder than any during the last thirty', years, as during that period wo have lived on overseas loans to an. enormous extent. It would appear that there will be no overseas loan money available to continue public .works, and it will not be possible to . obtain a sufficiency of this from the New Zealand taxpayer. Australia has, in effect, defaulted in her Federal issue bonds, and I am afraid that -Now■■ Zealand-may be compelled to follow, suit,'* ; '.