VIEWS OF LABOUR MEMBERS.

Kaikoura Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 63, 14 August 1944, Page 2

VIEWS OF LABOUR MEMBERS.

SOCIALISM AND CAPITALISM. WELLINGTON, August 9. “There is now so niuch Capitalism essential in any brand of Socialism that will work and so much Socialism in anv kind of Capitalism that is possible that these terms have become almost meaningless; it is necessary to forget them both and to realise that the real problem is the organisation of all national resources. ’ ’ This quotation from Professor A. H. Tocker was given by Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P. for Lyttelton, as “expressing pretty well the point of view of nyiny members on the Government side of the House” when he was speaking in the House of Representatives this evening. Mr McCombs said control of production was necessary so that it should be for the benefit of the people and not just for profit. If production were only for profit it was a case of “God defend ■us from a plenteous season, because prices may fall. ’ ’ They saw that in the modern overseas tendency to organise cartels. What was needed was production for use. Private enterprise operated best in conditions of scarcity.

Opposition voices: You are asking private enterprise to subscribe to a £40,000,000 loan. Mr McCombs: We are asking private enterprise to co-operate in seeing that there is sufficient production. Mr McCombs said Social Security had been criticised, but how did it compare with private enterprise? The administration cost of Social Security last year was 3.7 per cent, of benefits paid. The administrative cost of industrial insurance was 58.4 per cent., and of ordinary insurance 22.5 per cent.