The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, February 21, 1947. GUEST FOR CHEAPER LABOUR

Grey River Argus, 21 February 1947, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, February 21, 1947. GUEST FOR CHEAPER LABOUR

TF workers are as united in New I Zealand as anywhere to defend I their living standard, the responsibility is shared by the employers and the press, who never before have focused so much propaganda upon the object of cheapening labour. The Government is blamed because there are not more workers in the labour market. The fact of full employment is actually being- held up as a reproach to the Government. It is held to be responsible for the finding of workers for other employers, but condemned for conducting an employment service. On the contrary, the complaint is

that the Government should leave the workers generally more to their own devices in finding jobs; should import workers from overseas and leave them to find their own housing; and should, in fact, withdraw itself from the market, and leave the private capitalists a free field in competing for labour. Underlying the whole spate of agitation regarding, the labour supply there is a calculation tv hi ch employerdom does not acknowledge, but which is the obvious end in view. It is more than an increase that is sought —it is a dislocation and a cheapening of labour throughout the Dominion. The absence of unemployment illustrates the advantage that the workers derive from the Employment Service, even if the result is

that wages remain stable through i.lm absence of that competition for jobs which is the real fulcrum for lowering wages. One cry of Qinployerdom is that we have diversified industry to a degree that affords too wide a choice of jobs. Another is that too many are in State employ. One complainant says that the State employees have to be paid by the taxpayers, whereas there are 24.000 jobs to be filled, and the State therefore should not be such a competitor for labour. The intake into the Public Service is denounced as being excessive. No doubt this protest against youngpeople being given such an opening is based on two ideas. One is that public enterprise is inferior to private, and the other that private employers should, in any ' case, have as a general principle a

prior call upon labour. The great! majority of people, however, arc in the category of workers, and it is at least doubtful if they prefer private to public enterprise in any, not to mention all, of the avenues of public enterprise. What is not at all doubtful is that the workers generally do not believe State retrenchment is a proper expedient to find labour for private employ. It has been a capitalist expedient to contrive what is called a “supply pool” of labour. The workers know this thing by another term. “The pool” is for them “the unemployed”. Wc are informed that, though. State employees are a liability on the rest of the community, nobody should wish to see them paid a rate below what the country can afford. The inference from the allegation that they are nevertheless too costly is simply that as many as might render the cost sufficiently less ought to get the sack! It is pretty tough to tell the State employees a thing like that. It implies in a considerable degree that they arc loafing, and can be done without. As a matter of fact they all are earning their keep and a great deal more for the country. The services they conduct are all essential, and in railways, mines, schools, post offices, not to mention the other departments they do honest work, earning honest pay and enabling New Zealand to provide the world’s best all-round living standard. All the proceeds of their efforts are not in balance sheets, and their incomes are taxed no less than those of others. It is time, anyway, that their critics came down to tin tacks, and pointed out the classes of State employees whom they would divert to other work and pointed out also the employers to whom they would divert them. The young people entering the service of the State might -come under a new type of direction, and at least would know why others presume to choose for them their place in life in a more congenial and desirable manner than when they make a choice for themselves.