A LIBERAL POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 537, 3 October 1902, Page 2

A LIBERAL POLICY.

(To the Editor of the Times.)

Sir, —That wo aro living under a ) “ Liberal ” Government has time after i time beon asserted and boasted about. ; Nominally, this is true, aud those who were once termed tho “ Conservative ” i party have discovered that its acceptance i as truth is a most oxcellent thing monetarily and in other ways for themselves i individually. Our Liberalism (God savo • the mark) has at the present moment enhanced the valuo of tho properties held by the landowners thousands of acres by i permitting them to so control a murket f that the consumer now pays a halfpenny i a loaf moro for his bread. To sum up, i tho necessary cost of mere living has been increased to tho ordinary mau, whilst opportunities for enjoying life without hav- , tug to bother about who is paying tho piper is granted the others. And oi such is Liberalism.—l am, etc., , Onk Who Was. 1 CO-OPERATIVE LABOR. i , ’ (To the Editor of the Times.) I Sir, —I noticed a letter in your issue of Tuesday last upon the subject of cooperative labor, the epistle having evi- [ dently been writton by ono who has , profited by that sort of work. We all 5 liko to see a few intelligent men band , together and undertake a contract, moro i especially when they have tho brains and technical knowledge for the work. But that is not the kind of co-o oration that our present Liberal Government goes in for. It believes in giving the unskilled laborer the same rate of wages as is given to the most proficient, and such a system of co-operation must necessarily result in serious loss to anyone who has to employ it. Where would the railway have been had it been constructed on tho contract system ‘l I venture to state that for the amount that it has already cost tho country it could havo been carried five miles beyond Te Kuraka. The co-opera-tivo plan adopted by tho Seddon Government is at best 50 per cent, dearer than the open contract system, und I think Mr McLeod will bear me out in this. Ask that gentleman what he would have undertaken the formation work on tho Gisborne-Ormond line for, and I think you will get somewhat of a surprise. But, of course, the co-operative system suits the present Liberal leaders. Take tho case of the Petono Railway Workshops. There at the present time, on the eve of an election, are three shifts going. It is very strange that it was not necessary to put all these men on a few months back, and many people are wondering why there should have been such a demand for rolling stock. Perhaps Mr Griffen may be able to explain.—l am, etc,, Observer, (*l'o the Editor of the Times.) Sir, —I was very much amused at reading Mr Griffen’s remarks upon the question of co-operative works, and no doubt from his point of view, there is a great deal in it for tho laborer. Mr Griffen must know that in New Zealand capital never co-operated until it was forced to do so by the aggressive attitude of labor. As to the levelling down process of cooperation, there can be nothing more clear. The tendency of tho system is certainly in the direction of bringing the best man down to the level of the worst, at the same time paying a rate of wages to ail that can only be earned by the best. ! There has of recent years been a strong , attempt to raise the price of wages, but although this may be temporarily effected, ! it must be counteracted by an increase in - the prices of all articles of ordinary con- | sumption.—l am, etc., Back-Blocker.