Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1936. CONTROL OF INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 261, 2 October 1936, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1936. CONTROL OF INDUSTRY.

The Industrial Efficiency Bill is said to be designed to control, regiment and place in straitjackets, all tlie secondary industries of the Dominion, but this is not the view taken by the Minister sponsoring the measure. In the opinion ol Hon. D. 01. Sullivan tlie purpose of the legislation is to bring about co-opera-tion between the State and industry in endeavouring to reorganise the latter so that it may oecome more unified and more efficient with the object of rendering the maximum service to the people in the way of employment and reasonably priced goods of good quality. This is a roundabout way of saying that the industries are to be socialised in accordance rvitli the tenets of the Socialists, but the Minister admits that if the measure is properly administered it would contribute a great service to the people. What guarantee have we that it would be administered properly? The very fact that lie makes the statement is some indication that he has some doubt as to its administration. And he is justified in his doubts for the regimentation of industry is to be entrusted to Government servants. A bureau so constituted could not exercise any freedom for it is composed of servants who must obey their masters. Care is taken in the measure to deprive the bureau of any freedom of action.

Tlie Minister can appoint, control, revoke and exercise all the powers of a dictator, hence the bureau will be no more than a carbon copy of th<# Minister. The wide powers given to the Minister are not in accordance with democratic government, but that is excusable for the Labour Government does not claim to be democratic but socialistic, for it aims to control the means of production, distribution and exchange. Industry is to be licensed, and applications must be made to the Bureau of Industry (Government servants) which will be the controlling authority for the issue, suspension and revocation of licenses. This is more than Soviet Ilussia ■ is attempting. As a matter of fact, after about fifteen years of wandering in the wilderness of Socialism, Russia is returning to the capitalistic system. Where is the person of sane mind who, after closely studying the Industrial Efficiency Bill, will believe that industry will be able to render the maximum of service to the people? Industry is to be choked or strangled and cannot operate to the best advantage. The Minister should accept the advice given him to postpone the Bill for a year. He should recognise that within the past week the economic outlook of the world

has undergone a revolutionary change through the action of France. Socialistic conditions have changed, and democracy has come into its own. Democracy will not tolerate a straitjacket. The whole of the recent legislation of the Labour Government will have to be scrapped, or greatly modified, in view of the changed economic world conditions.