DISASTROUS LAWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23969, 20 May 1941, Page 9

DISASTROUS LAWS

Sir, —It seems a pity that electors are not fully advised of all the ruinous legislation which amateur labour politicians have pushed on to the public. Labour howls exhortations to produce more, yet they almost prohibit men over 60 from earning more. They have only licensed a privileged section of the fishermen to catch and sell fish. They have prohibited fishermen to sell direct to the public. They only allow the privileged licence-holders to catch a limited quantity of fish. Other disastrous laws in the Hon. D. Sullivan's regime include the prohibition of a shopkeeper from shifting his premises whether he wants to do it himself or whether his landlord pushes him out. Even if he has thousands of pounds worth of stock, this stupid law still debars him from continuing business. Although all classes of shopkeepers are not j\-.-t under this law, others are, and the time is coming, if the Sullivan regime lasts, to make it a crime for anyone to start business or a retail shop. Nobody is keener on Labour ideals than the writer, but the legislation we get is just too stupid to call for any sane person's support. It is absolutely stupid to have laws which prohibit people from catching or selling fish, because what the public do not consume arc left for the predatory fish to eat. A man with small capital cannot start for himself with a few cows and sell the milk to his neighbours, nor, if he has a grove of lemon or fruit, can h' 4 soli to his neighbours, while at the same time lemons are being imported from America Will the boys who are overseas be allowed to start a shop when they return? No! They will have first to go, cap in hand, to an official, and this official will go through the sham of askini those already in business whether they will agree to a newcomer entering into opposition, and fhe returned man will lie turned down. M Uf.TUM IN PARVUS!.