FIFTY-FIFTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 2 October 1936, Page 3

FIFTY-FIFTY

(To The Editor) Sir, —We now know, on the authority of "lkona Alai.',” that- about half tiie goods in our shops are produced by the world's workers, and that no one should deny them access to them. When 1 suggest that under these circumstances we should ship about SO per cent, away to less favoured parts or the world "lkona Mali” can only counter with some airy remarks about the habits of Tibetan monks. This is such a poor side-step that we will try another lead in the same direction, and hope against hope for a definite answer. Does he or does he not suggest one standard of life for all races? If so, is lie willing to lower our standard so that the manner of life of the Chinese, Hindoos, and most of the white races can be brought level with ours?

This will have to be done to attain the fifty-fifty system, so why not start now by sending some of the goods av.ay?

Then, to make the position quite clear, he says we have about 40 millions of piodueers’ claims to them lying idle in London.

.My ideas of money may be quaint, but how can we have a credit of 40 millions and also a debit of about 300 millions is beyond me. 1 have neither the ability nor the inclination to follow the shadows on bank ledgers through to their last resting place. All I know is that we have exported necessities of life, such as butter, wool, meat, etc., and have received in return necessities we could not produce in New Zealand and materials to further develop the country, plus a lot of the amenities and luxuries of life. In mv opinion, it is the purchase of the latter that has caused the shadows on the debit side to be darker than those oil the credit side, it is a sound rule of individual life to buy only what luxuries you can pay cash for, and then only when you are out of debt. So far J have seen or heard nothing that leads to the conclusion that,national life should be any different. "There is no escape from the consequences of foolish actions! If you prefer the modern way go to it by' all meansload yourself up with debt, but do not compiain about the re suits. The interest system certainly has got us in its grip, but whose fault is that?

We wanted the moon and have very nearly got it, at a price.! liven now, it half the effort and enthusiasm that is expended in New Zealand on lilting footballs and picking winners was devoted to lifting the national debt it would be away up" out of sight in a few years. By what my opponent calls “shadow sparring” 1 luive tried in a friendly way to give him the hint to bo more carelul how he quotes from my letters. Instead of taking the hint, lie is getting worse. Ho credits me with saying •We arc exporting goods bv the hundreds of millions in excess of the goods wc import.” Will he be good enough to tell your readers in which letter ol mine tills statement is to be found? Shadow sparring is at least legal, but if this sort of thing goes on 1 shall claim a i'oui. When asked what sacrifices we have made he quotes a part of one of my own sentences out of its context —an old dodge, of course, but I had hoped he was above this. Here is the. extract ■

'Sending enough out of the country to keep twice our present population vet finding ourselves in debt.” Now, this is definitely a foul, because my statement was that we had exported enough to keep twice our present population in all the reasonable amenities of life, but we were not satisfied with that, and by buying unnecessary things had landed ourselves in debt. I am sorry. Sir, to have to lake up your space with this reiteration, but have to in self-defence. If these are the tactics “1.M.” is going to adopt we shall not get far. My friend seems to think that human actions are the reflections from the monetary system, whereas the monetary system, if you can call it a system, is really the "reflection of human actions. Mow can wo ever expect to get a stable money system without stability of hu man action?

“lkona Mali” is standing on his head’ I am, etc..

FIFTY-FIFTY Nelson, 29th September.