INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16354, 25 September 1913, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS.

TO THE EDITOE. Sir, —Mr J. A. Frostick delivered a very interesting address on "Industrial Progress and National Prosperity," to a meeting of the Women's Social and Political League, last Thursday evening, a report of which appeared in your journal on Friday morning. After mentioning the wealth of New Zealand and expressing ail opinion that it was the most favoured country on earth, he stated that its greatest need was more population, and instanced the eager manner in which Canada welcomed thousands of emigrants, thereby implying that emigrants are not welcomed to" this favoured land; but he failed to give any reason for the preference shown by emigrants towards Canada. I would suggest for his consideration that it is offing to the evil of land monopoly being so rampant here that the class,of settler required fails to come to New Zealand. We have thousands of youug men, New Zealand-born, willing and anxious to become primary producers, but, owing to the influence of the land monopolist, they are unable to get on the land. 'Mr Frostick referred also to the amount'of money borrowed during the past five yeai-s (seventeen millions) at the rato of £9430 per day. -He deplored the fact that the wealth of the country was exported, in the shape of its primary products, to pay for foreign made goods. Again, ho fails to lay the blame on the proper shoulders. It it another reason why worthy emigrants sail for other shores, .and the captains of industry and landed proprietors are responsible for the position. It is because, of their exploitation 'of the wageearning class, that the present intolerable state of affairs has been reached. Through tho Press, owned and" controlled by the exploiting classes, the wageworkers have been deluded into supporting political parties who have plunged this country into debt until every man, woman' and child In New Zealand is mortgaged to the amount (according to Mr FrostickY figures) of £Bl per head, which means that every father of a family of three children has to pay interest on a mortgage of £405, which is an under-estimate of his share of the national debt, at the present time. Is it any wonder that emigrants " fight shy" of New Zealand. In addition to a.share in the national debt every •worker has to pay local taxation and his share, and the share of the fellow who does no work, of the expenses cf running the country. During the period Mr Frostick mentions (twenty-five years) the unimproved value of the lands of New Zealand has increased by over one hundred millions, which has "been created by the community and pocketed by the landlords and speculators, the community having to pay interest, upon the one hundred millions of increased values in addition to the eighty-one millions borrowed and spent by the various Governments to create the increased values. Is it any wonder the cost of living has increased? Mr Frostick stated: "A general change in labour conditions was affecting the wholo. world ; the terrible struggle of the masses for a bare subsistence was giving place to a world-wide recognition of the right of every man who was willing to work, that the -reward- of his labours should be sufficient to secure him at least the minimum of the necessary require-, ments of human existence, according to the standard ruling in the country in which he was residing." Just so, the average "captain of industry" is perfectly willing to give a worker a " minimum of necessary requirements,'' whilst he requires liis services, and if the factory-owner can keep up his supply of "hands," or persuade a paternal Government to import them for him, ho will employ the best of them during their prime, when it suits him, and then .throw them on the scrap-heap, without a second thought as to how workers who have received merely a baro existence whilst in his employ, are going to continue their existence in their declining years.

Mr Frostick told the ' Indies that, " the men had completely failed to find any remedy which would arrest the steady depletion of the wealth of the country; they had abused their privileges and neglected their opportunities; they were piling no a heritage of debt and difficulty for their children to face for which there was no pxcuse." I wish to compliment Mr Frostick upon his candid statement, and I am sorry I cannot compliment him upon leaving the solving of the problem to the intuition of his fair hearers. 1 would suggest to him that when lie decides to address them again, he should explain the effect a heavy graduated landtax would bo likely to have upon the finances of the country, and the probable increase of Primary products as a direct outcome' of its operation.— I am, etc..

H. HUNTER Sydenham, September 22.