STATE INTERFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18059, 6 April 1922, Page 7

STATE INTERFERENCE.

EFFECT UPON TRADE. POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. SELF-IMPOSED DIFFICULTIES fFEOM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY. March <29. What is probably representative of the opinion of commercial men generally throughout Australia concerning the manner in which trade and commerce ' n the Commonwealth ha s bean made the plaything of politicians was expressed during the congress of Chambers of Commerce in Hobart during the week by the president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia. He declared that many of Australia's financial difficulties were self imposed, and were due to unnecessary Government interference in mutters that should be left to private enterprise. There had been a positive passion for controlling business; for the creation of new Government departments, and the mobilisation of armies of Government employees. One adult in every nine of the population was on a Government pay-roll. The popular policy for .son'? years had been scale the heights and plumb the depths of Government ownership, with disastrous consequences to the public finances and the undermining of the moral fibre of the people, who had been encouraged to draw their nourishment from Government feeding bottles. What was wanted in Australia, before there could be a return to normal conditions, was a readjustment of all contributing factors, so that selling costs could be lessened and the employment of capital in developing resources adequately encouraged, and its co-partner adequately safeguarded and rewarded. That was Australia's greatest problem, and must be solved. A debtor nation like Australia had to export its natural products in excess of imports in order to meet oversea obligations. If Australians could not cut costs so as to sell at a profit, then Australia could not afford to buy abroad. The occasion called for a resolve on the part of employer and employee to recognise their mutual interests in giving to each other and to the community a fair and .square deal.