W.E.A. ADDRESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 220, 15 August 1928, Page 8

W.E.A. ADDRESS.

COMPETITION 4 OR CO- - OPERATION.

Continuing his series of lectures to the W.E.A. class last evening, Mr K. Ross, M.A., D. Soc. Sc., spoko on somo aspects of competition and cooperation in modern business. Mr J. W. G. Davidson presided over a fair attendance.

in opening, the speaker said that, at one time, it was necessary to obtain a license before engaging in any form of business. Later, this idea had been changed and freedom from government control had becomo almost as sacred as the British Constitution. In tho present stage of evolution in our economic system, competition existed at every' point in production, dis'l'iflibiition and consumption j Workers competed with each other for employment; farmers competed for possession of land; capitalists competed for supplies of credit, while consumers of all classes and types competed for their requirements at various kinds of distributing agencies. Competition in production was, however, within related groups of producers being rapidly replaced by some form of association, combination, “ring’ or holding company, or other amalgamation characteristic of modern business. “AV© could not got tho amount of production we liavo today without these large companies with special resources available in capital, labour saving machinery and efficient labour,” said Mr Ross.

SUBSTITUTES FOR COMPETITION. There were sovoral substitutes for competition, prooeeded the speaker. One was State capitalism, or tho extension of the present trading activities of the State to cover all industry, including land nationalisation. Another was State control and regulation, e.g., extension of the Arbitration Court and the establishment of meat smd other control hoards. _ “Communism or revolutionary Socialism in its present form creates so many more difficulties and dangers than its most hopeful advocates claim iss virtues that but few economists give it serious consideration,” continued Mr Ross. Cooperation existed in many forms and had been most successful in its retail trade, credit and banking, and in some phases of agricultural work, but had been unsuccessful in other directions. Co-operative societies in Great Britain had attained to a great measure of success, numbering 257, with nearly 5,000,000 members and £90,000,000 share capital, with sales to the value of £300,000,000 last year. The success of this system in agricultural and pastoral pursuits in Denmark, India, Germany, Southorn Ireland and Southern TJ.S.A. and in dairying in New Zealand pointed to its probable value to assist all primary production in New Zealand. An essential feature was that responsibilities and risks were shared, making possible considerable easing of financial difficulties. One of tho biggest combines in the world to-day was the shipping combine, that controlled the mercantile fleots of the world, with the exception of one or two independent companies. Of these, the Canadian National Steamship lino was a notable example, giving, in conjunction with the national railway system, a highly efficient service. One of tho advantages that ,a small unit had over a large amalgamation was that it gave, scope to the individual to exercise his inherent pride in his work. In a large corporation a worker might tend to lose his individuality. “True national progress can conic only through real cooperation between the worker, the land owner and the capitalist,” said Air Ross in conclusion.

Several interesting questions wero asked at the end of the meeting.