SHORTER WORKING WEEK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 28 March 1936, Page 2

SHORTER WORKING WEEK

(To the Editor) Sir, —May we again use your columns to reply to “Ikona Mali.” In your issue of 25Ui be commences his letter: “I again question the right of the Welfare . League to challenge the Government’s policy of a shorter working week.” Let us also quote what we said in our letter, namely : ‘ ‘Mr Armstrong in bringing in the 40 hour week as a definite policy lias left it open to those industries, which cannot meet competition on the shorter week, to apply for exemption on proving their case. This is an essential safeguard.” “Ikona Mali ’ calls this a challenge to the Government’s policy ! Your correspondent apparently, is not above twistiii" what we said in order to find a peg upon which to hang an attack. \Ve cannot agree to enter into a long argument as to whether “exports are any good to the people of New Zealand.” “Ikona. Mali” implies that no one outside a mental asylum would consider that an export trade is worth having. YVe should have thought that sucli an idea was more likely to be accepted inside a mental asylum than by sane people. The difference is so fundamental that- it would be pure waste of time to discuss it. To do so would not convince “Ikona Mali” (that is obvious), and we venture to think that the majority of New Zealanders are satisfied that our export- trade is of some benefit. Your correspondent’s apology for “not having made a very good job of disparaging the Welfare League this time” —is a welcome admission because it confirms our view that lie is more concerned in disparaging his opponents than weighing their opinions. To help this disparagement lie does not hesitate to misinterpret and sometimes misrepresentwhat we say. This method is curiously enough adopted in both “Ikona. Mali’s” letters in your issue eft’ the 25th. First in saying ye had “challenged the Government's policy of the shorter week,” which is untrue, and secondly, in criticising Mr Barton SAI. on money. Mr Barton did not compare money in its three senses with three qualities of ’‘lightness”—lightness in weight in colony and texture. Those qualities he applied to “some article of merchandise.” Vet “Ikona Mali” accuses Air Barton of applying them to money and having misinterpreted him he proceeds to knock him out. The letter also concludes with the usual disparagement of his opponent. We sometimes "wonder if your correspondent reallv reads the letters lie replies to or just jumps to a hasty conclusion after a glance at them. ' This would account for his misinterpreting the opinions given. However, it is surprising what a lot of trouble he takes over our letters which he asserts that no one leads and which are consigned to the scrap heap.—We are, etc., N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE. Wellington. 27th March.