CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 89, 12 October 1938, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

WORK. IN THE FUTURE

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Could you kindly inform me what will be the position on April 1 of next year, 1939, of all the men who are at present working for local bodies, etc., and drawing £4 10s per week (I think that is the figure) from the Employment Promotion Fund?

Will all these men be put off and come under the unemployment benefit rates as provided for in the Social Security Act? If so .1 can just imagine what a howl there will be, and how anxious they will be to vote for the Labour Government, as the majority of them seem to think they have a permanent job for life.

Also has Mr. Nash yet stated definitely how he intends to raise all the millions required for Public Works etc., this year. Does he intend going on the open market, taking it from Government departments and the Savings Bank if available, or issue more notes for same (otherwise inflation)? —I am, etc.,

CURIOUS.

A WORKER'S VIEW

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The Prime Minister speaking in the Auckland. Town Hall stated: "Give the people money value equal to the value of- our production." Now, Sir, we working folk are not credited with being a deep-thinking section of the community, but we really are, and my comrades and I agree on the following reasoning:—Money is not wealth but a paper title to wealth. Increase the number of these titles and their efficiency is proportionately reduced. Double the quantity of Reserve Bank Notes and their purchasing power over existing goods and services is halved.

Mr. Savage in giving effect to that which he has above stated is getting his Minister of Finance to draw on the Reserve Bank loans already totalling £7,000,000, with a prospect of soon doubling the note issue. Now there is an equation which says that M. (money multiplied by velocity of circulation) equals P. (price level), multiplied by T. (trade). Say, M. equalled 10 units, P. 2 units, and T. 5, then 10 equals 2x5. Now if the Minister of Finance doubles the note issue making in the above M. equal to 20, then the P. (price level) would automatically have to rise to 10. Then Mr. Savage instead of giving us workers money value would in fact be cutting it down by half. It is for reasons like this that I and my mates feel we will have to give our vote to the National Party.—l am, etc., M.C.B.

THE PEOPLE'S ENDORSE-

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—One reads with amused interest the letters in Friday's and Monday's issues of the "Evening Post" relative to Mr. Chapman and Mrs. Knox Gilmer. If Mrs. Gilmer's victory at the local body elections, where she received more votes than any candidate not excepting the Mayoral candidates, can be taken as an indication of the citizens' opinion of Mrs. Knox Gilmer, and surely it can, then there is little need for anyone to explain her motives in the civic and social work she undertakes. "■/ In May last 24,477 people gave her a splendid vote of confidence and one sees no reason why this should not be repeated in Wellington North next Saturday.—l am, etc.,

GRATITUDE.

TAXATION NOW AND IN 1935

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l am the trustee in a small estate, the revenue from which is the sole source of income for a mother and young daughter resident outside New Zealand. For the period March 31, 1935, the income tax payable was £6 Is 4d, i.e., 7d in the £. I yesterday received the notification of income tax for the period March 31, 1938, and the amount assessed is £13 16s, i.e., 21.99 din the £, so that the rate per £ collected today under the Labour Government is over three times that collected by the late Coalition Government. The income in 1935 was slightly over £200 and has now decreased by £16, the investments being the same as before, i.e., dividends from shares in the same companies and interest from mortgages the same amount as in 1935.

This is a practical example of how under the Labour Government the widow and small investor and salaried man is being penalised.—l am, etc., TRUSTEE.

ELECTION NIGHT TRANSPORT

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I wish to draw the attention of the tramway department to the fact that on election night a great number of people will require transport to their homes, especially at midnight, when the newspaper offices cease showing returns. I feel that this somewhat late reminder is necessary, because a great number had the unfortunate experience of having to walk home, some to outlying suburbs, on election night three years ago. I was one of them. On that occasion the service was totally inadequate, the last cars leaving town little later than ordinarily. I trust the tramway department will rise to the occasion this time. —I am, etc.,

INTERRUPTIONS AT MEETINGS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I listened with interest to Mr. Bodkin's speech at Dunedin, and two letters in the paper, signed "Housewife" and "Fair Play," blame the Labour Party for the interruptions, which, in my opinion, is grossly unfair, as I have attended meetings where the Hon. W. Nash and others have asked the people to give the Opposition a good hearing at their meetings. I would like to state also that a National candidate questioned whether we could draw our money out of the Post Office Savings Bank. I have had the occasion to draw out £70 lately, so that is incorrect. —I am, etc.,

THREE MORE VOTES FOR LABOUR,

VOTE-SPLITTING DANGER

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —At the last election the Wellington North seat was lost to good government through the splitting of the anti-Labour vote. The votes then cast for Labour totalled 5039; those against Labour 6511—a majority against Labour of over 1400. I notice that a third candidate for Wellington North has recently been announced. I trust the electors of Wellington North will be aware of the vote-splitting danger this time.

The coming election is of far more importance than the last. As you have been so ably and consistently demonstrating for some time past, the

result of the election will in all probability decide whether bNew Zealand is or is not to become a Socialist State in the future. I hope and believe that the answer of Wellington North will be an emphatic no. I should like, therefore, to urge upon all the antiSocialists of the electorate to vote solidly for Mrs. Knox Gilmer. If they do that she is sure of election, but if they waste their votes on the third candidate the issue may be in doubt. Give us more of good old British Liberalism. —I am, etc.,

W. N. ANTI-SOCIALIST.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S STATUE

• A Norfolk Regiment veteran of the South African War writes to "The Post" to inquire if something can be done to suitably Improve the appearance of the statue of Queen Victoria in Kent Terrace. With all the plans for beautifying Wellington, he considers there should be some arrangement included for sprucing up what should be a worthy monument to a great lady, but which at the present, and for some time past, has presented an appearance of neglect and grime that must offend the senses of old soldiers like himself and all passers-by who see in the statue nothing for which the authorities can claim credit. With plans for Centennial beautification and the prospects of overseas visitors attending, the correspondent believes that something should be done to restore the beauty of the statue, and make it a tribute worthy of the grand lady it represents.