LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24538, 22 March 1943, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Pensioners and War Work Sir,— Undoubtedly there are _ thousands of male pensioners who still arc, for their years, active and able-bodied. Many of them, I am sure, would-be clad to do some sort of war work. Ihe Government regimented men up to bo for E.P.S. duty. Why not for war work? New Zealand's manpower problem is acute. Why not investigate the potentialities of this source of supply.'' Vacnie, indirect, semi-official appeals to pensioners to give up their age benefit incomes and go to work will not achieve any worth-while results. J here will not be any rush of elderly boatburners." ° DU - Pig Industry's Trials Sir, —With reference to Mr. H E. Clark's remarks about prices lor tat everyone should get behind him in his gallant endeavour to save a declining and despised industry. 1 say despised advisedly as far as this Government is concerned. In my many vears of experience no industry conk take the knocks and still survive, and now the Minister of Agriculture, seeing it groggv, is in the act of giving it the final blow for the knock-out. I 1 armors must get behind their pig councils and give them the co-operation that they need to stave off this great threat. If any control is needed, it is not at the distribution end but at the production end. 1 challenge any farmer to produce bacon at the present price of meals without a 50 per cent loss. I speak from .35 years' experience and have been interested in feed trials both here and in England. The pig industry should be the leading industry in New Zealand if brought up-to-date instead of being despised and rejected. Stephen Emmerson. The Political Future Sir, —Mr. J. Victor Macky writes as if political degeneracy is somewhere in the future, and not in the present. He thinks that for this the cure or the preventive agent lies in increased emoluments, in that they would attract to political life a better type of candidate. More money, more material wellbeing, is to usher in a new era of efficiency and contentment; the lact that the appetite for money grows with what it feeds upon is to be ignored. Would he aver that the fancy wages of to-day have attracted a better type <>l worker, that they are not leading to greater discontent? The Labour Party's action in securing that extra £l5O may have been wise, as your correspondent says, but was it not done at the expense of a few? Doubtless the amount now raised to £6OO will be the temporary objective of all members. On all sides is this voicing of th» need lor always increasing improvement in material conditions. Ntf one is to give up anything (except those unfortunates exploited by their own comrades). Yet will it, not be by sacrifice that v,-e may hope to escape submergence in the welter of events sweeping toward us? And is it not incorrect for your correspondent to assume that there are not some in New Zealand who, though deficient in the acquisitive sense, may still be gifted with some political acumen 9 Edwin Gkeensmittt. Wool Scouring Sir, —Mr. Walton's statement that I wool scouring is ono of the dirtiest and unhealthy occupations is absurd, I particularly to all those who have seen, !in the South Island and east coast ; provinces, acre upon acre of scoured } wool out on the green drying and ! bleaching in the sun. In more congested areas, where bad weather necessitates drying by machines, works have been established where the standard of cleanliness can be compared to that of a modern cheese or butter factory. It is doubtful if Mr. Walton's remarks could be applied even to the rag carbonisers of Otley or tho women workers in the fellmongeries at Mazamet, certainly never to conditions in this country. His use of technical terms and trade customs, although in a general sense correct, is loose. Mis use of the word "carbonised" in his last letter is particularly difficult to follow, as the proportion of wools necessitating this process is relatively small. Tho greatest argument in favour of scouring wool in this country to-day is the saving in shipping space. The Government should authorise in duo course the publication of official figures of wool processed by tho wool scouring industry since the commencement of the commandeer, together with countries of destination, and it will be seen that this industry's contribution to tho national war effort is one to be proud of. So far as post-war prospects are concerned, no sweeping statements can be made, but it is to bo hoped that, with the lessons learned through the advantages of full-time production and standardisation of product required under the present system, the industry will be established upon a solid basis. Not, as Mr. Walton suggests, at the expense of our overseas customers, but by rendering a service, and supplying ' an article wanted by overseas mill owners. Wool Scourer. •