THE INDUSTRIAL POSITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19396, 3 August 1926, Page 6

THE INDUSTRIAL POSITION.

Sir, —You, in your very interesting leading article of last Wednesday upon the coal-mining impasse in Great Britain, might well have gone a step further and drawn attention to thq analogy which exists between the position there, and that which is slowly, but surely, evolving here in New Zealand. Goal-mining is ono. of Britain's chief primary industries, as 'dairying is one of ours. Both have to seek their outlet in the open market—not only unassisted, but very frequently in the teeth of hostile tariffs. Both are " up against it" in the matter of excessive costs of production, including' that of subsidiary services. In Britain, the unprotected primary industries have, as with us, to carry the burden of altogether disproportionate wages paid to those employed in the sheltered subsidiary services; but" there the analogy ends, for whereas Britain, recognising at least the realities of the case, temporarily subsidised their „ distressed' industry even against their better judgment. We, in New Zealand, have actually increased the difficulties of our own industry by ordaining through the Arbitration Court a further increase in wages paid in sheltered pccupations, notwithstanding that dairy produce is almost unsaleabk overseas, unemployment is rife and tho Dominion has a large adverse trade balance. To meet this increase secondary, industries may be expected to demand another turn of the protectionist screw and the unfortunate primary producer will see a further inroad upon his already slender exportable surplus. As though this recurring pressure were not a sufficient handicap, he sees the capital so urgently needed and raised by the Government ostensibly for his assistance diverted in large measure to the erection of town dwellings upon terms immensely more favourable to the borrower than those accorded hirtisejf, ai*d this in' addition to the premium offered by Parliament upon urban investments by the indefensible preferential taxation of local body and other debentures. Haeold W. Hudson, F.I.C.A* Auckland, August 2, 1926. 1