OIL FOR THE LAMPS OF DEMOCRACY

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 16, 22 November 1946, Page 7

OIL FOR THE LAMPS OF DEMOCRACY

Sir.—What is needed today is a basic wage of £6 a week and an immediate all-round increase in wages and pensions. Elimination of all taxation on incomes of £6 per week or less. A non-contributory Social Security scheme. Nationalisation of coastal shipping, interna! road transport, big freezing works ■ (unless cooperatively owned) fertilizer worlr.coal mines, gas works, sugar refinery, and all other key industries. Workers’ participation in the management of these industries when nationalised. Loans at nominal rate of interest (from 1 to 1 i percent) to farmers. These are only some of the advances which can be made now if the working people insist on them. The future is in the hands of the working class and its allies. The forces wanting peace and progress are infinitely stronger than the small group which wants social reaction and war. The organised working class leading the working people in town and country can smash the plots of the reactionary minority and initiate a period of peace and prosperity free from want and from fear. We want the same energy and the same economic and financial resources that were used for war, to be de-

voted to raising living standards and building homes for the people. Cooperation, not competition, is the key to survival. These things we want, and what is more, we are going to have them. Yours, etc., WORKER. FOOD OR COFFINS ? Sir. “Food or coffins?” is the tempo of an advertisement in a re- j cent issue of the “Age.” - Owing to i the conservative action of the Kaitaia j Dairy Company (who have a virtual | monopoly of the cream cartage, assisted by the Government with mails, in spite of their slogan “production transport exchange”) it will have to be coffins for my part, as the Dairy Company decrees my cream must be delivered to the main highway, although I am served with an allweather road. Yes, sir ; one full can on horseback does me. Further, why is there no Government inspector to check on weights, grade and test at dairy factories ? This may help the food supply. There are inspectors in every other industry (there is even one for the supplier). This “take what you get and like it” system employed by dairy factories should have been scrapped years ago. Yours, etc., H. G. DEAN.