WAGES AND TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21540, 11 July 1933, Page 13

WAGES AND TRADE

Sir, —" Rustic " seems to agree that it is a vital matter to get all hands back to their ordinary work—no mention of those who have sprung up since this depression started. I wonder docs he agree that reasonable circulation of money is necessary if that work is to continue once it docs start; that when that army of unemployed becomes repatriated as it were, if they don't spend a penny beyond what they are trying to exist on now, they will soon bo out of work again? Perhaps not the same ones, but a similar number, or more. How is it not profitable to engage labour at present rates? What aro the present rates? Are there not thousands of our men who would be glad to accept anything at 6s per day and find themselves? Aro there not thousands of jobs at such work as I suggested in my last letter, not in any way subject to arbitration rules, very urgent and very necessary? Is not a large percentage of our workless men skilled in theso jobs and had a lifetime of experience? Aro there not hundreds of squaro miles utterly abandoned to the gorse and tho blackberry? Yet theso men are not wanted. Why? New Zealand must suffer with the rest of tho world if she relics on nothing else than the prices her customers can afford to pay for her goods. I havo already given my explanation of tho causes of theso low prices overseas. But what of our own internal trade? If,wo can manipulate exchange by Order-in-Council, surely wo can do the same with credit, with much loss favouritism and class consciousness. I pin my faith to nothing in particular, but I give my moral support to any form of monetary improvement, costless or not, that would mitigate theso evils, and relievo the workers and taxpayers of the many charities, subscriptions and tolls that are extracted from them. Might as well work six hours daily as give two hours of your time to support tho unemployed, if shorter days aro really essential, and in scjmo countries they aro. Rather than have this, however, your correspondent prefers to produce the goods (the goods that aro already produced, but unsold) oven at tho risk of exploiting tho hapless unemployed. As for tho money that circulated during tho prosperous times, if tho non-thrifty New Zealanders had chocked its outflow to non-reciprocal Undo Sam, wo would have been a shade better off. The thrifty do not havo to keep tho improvident. Even "Rustic" must see that if A has a sum of money and wants work done, ho engages B who has nothing but is willing to do tho work; it is mutual benefit. Who suffers? J. Orh.