CORRESPONDENCE. PROFITEERING AND M.P.’S. CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18304, 14 January 1920, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

PROFITEERING AND M.P.’S.

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS.

"Writors of letter* to tho Editor are particularly asked to say bo if they aro sending their communication also to other newspapers. Letters should be written in ink, on one side of- tho ptipex only, and they must be accompanied by the writer's name fox the Editor's information.

TO XHE EDITOR. Sir i wish to impress the fact on thi general public, and. especially upon the workingman, he being moat affected by things certain individuals are attempting to do, as he would havo, to hand over the money—l wish to impress, 1 say, that the .North Canterbury Farmers' Union has commenced to do something of interest, probably not the fir a time. Recently their president, Mr D. Jones, M.l\ for Kaiapoi, demanded to have sugar diverted from secondary industries so that jam-malting might bo pursued. Now he wants the co-oper-ation of Marlborough barley growers with Canterbury barley growers to form a " trust " to force the price of barley up to 8s per bushel, a rise of 20. bo very consistent 1 Mr Jones evidently thnks somewhat as foUows:—"You hand over the sugar because we want to Bell our fruit and make plenty of money, and we can't do this it you don't hand over the sugar, because people won't be able to make jam without sugar, and you wouldn't have us lose money, would you? Consistent with this, he now argues; —" You let us make plenty of money by allowing jam-makers to get Bugar. In return, we'll make you pay 2s per bu9hel more for barley, in spite of its being a staple article of food. Mind you, we've really got no legitimate or humane reason for doing this, as Canterbury crops are above average and Cs per bushel pays us well; but you're all 'melons, so we'll profiteer as much as possible out of you." Much barley is grown at a contract price of 6s per bushel, which provides a reasonable profit evidently, or no contract would be entered into. A rise of 2s on 6s is 33 1-3 por cent, and the workers and tho general public would have to pay it. Profiteering is a nasty word and a sneaking and cruel occupation to indulge in. "We hear much about " meat trusts," but, remember, it behoves us first to exterminate the "trust" disease within our own Dominion. " Barley trusts" are every bit aa disgraceful and criminal as any other "trusts" concerning Mr I>. Jones, in his official capacity as president of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union, has dared to commence openly though I imagine ho hardly expected tho public to hoar about it, an absolutely profiteering scheme, and be, an M.JP. (by luck) and a Reformist (Heaven help the worker), mind you, and his institution should suffer. Are the public going to live from band t> mouth while a few eat from golaera spoon." bought' with blood money?—l am. etc. ANTI-PROFITEER.

SO THTS KDITOB. Sir.—l am informed from a Blenheim souro that at a recent meeting of the Farmers' Union there a wire was received from Mr D. Jones. M.P. for Kaiapoi, suggesting the forcing up of the price o. f barley to 8s per bushel t despite the fact, as stated in his wire, that the crops in Canterbury are above the average.

It is stated that many farmers have entered into contracts to produce barley at Gs per bushel, and 1 understand are .quite content with the price.

Wo often hear about attempts et profiteering and here surely is a glaring instance. Barley is a staple article ot ford, and here is an attempt to fu--thor increase the cost of living to tha masses. Workers would do well to keep a watchful eye on Mr Jones, who from appearances seems vto be the special representative of a class that is d.-a'mng tho last resources of the actiul rioducora of wealth in this country, r.nd whose share of that wealth is so *mall as to he microscopical. Mi Jones is evidently endeavouring to create an artificial value for barley, as ha*, been done with other commodities. Mr Jones is really a very shortsighted person, or ho would know that the patience or the people is just about* exhausted.

Unless, the present position is tackled, the profiteer dealt with, and the burden put on the shoulders of the people who have grown rich at the cost of the blood of others, things will soon bo chaotic. Mr Massey is going to be afforded an opportunity of doing something, but he will need to move Quickly. If ho fails, then it is God help New Zealand and the profiteer, whose ill-gotten wealth will he of little avail against the righteous indignation of a long-sufforing people.

If we wish to avoid trouble suck as we have never previously experienced, profiteers and their party hacks must be eliminated. It doen not become Mr oones to parade his parliaimsntary mem--1 ershit in this sort of business. He should remember that he is not a representative of the people, as his entry into Parliament has been by_the back door and could not bo accomplished by a straight-out fight, as evidenced by the fact that in the Kainpoi contest ho only polled nbout 30 per cent of tho votes cast. If he had any. spirit at all he would be so ashamed of his positi m that he would resign an'd lot the peopio choose a candidate who could + nithfi;lly say he represented them.—T ,im. etc., • PROGRESS.

TO THE EDITOIt. Sir, —Tho Tramway Board are seekinj? consent to borrow £340,000, of which ram only £58,500 is for new linos find £72.500 for additions to existing lines. I think now is the time to gci a little .and trust tho board will give it How do they propose to raise tho charges on the tot'd loin of £310,000, seeing tho chairman and general manager, in Benson and out, kocp telling us they will hare to raisj tho fares tc, make ends moet on the prot-enfc undertaking? I>o thoy propose to equalise the penny sections, seeing some "are double the length of those on ..other lines P Or cut out the waiting time? Or run the trams for the public, instead of, as at present, running the publio for the trams? Those are only a fow of tho innovations they may have in their minds to adopt in .tho future, but many of us Would likj their ckai-cut proposal before the j poll.—l am, etc., ] R. CARTER. Ldnwood, January 13.