The New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1911. GET DOWN TO CAUSES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7929, 12 October 1911, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1911. GET DOWN TO CAUSES

As wo have already suggested, not the least useful feature of Sir John Findlay’s speeches in Auckland is the fact that ho emphasised the need for getting down to root causes if we are to have cures instead of palliatives for social and economic disorders. The wisdom of this view is so obvious that it is ratller surprising the idea is not more general. Perhaps the reason—in Now Zealand, at all events—lies partly in tho comparative uselessness of the average Opposition during the last twenty-one years—the period, practically. of the birth of social reform in this country. Many of our most important enactments are admittedly of tho palliative order. Old ago pensions, social insurance, and industrial arbitration do not remove poverty nor prevent quarrels over wages. "What they do is to relieve the more evil consequences of these tilings. They are therefore not only desirable, but necessary. Yet the Opposition bitterly opposed these and kindred Acts, invariably arguing that this or that reform cannot bo effected by merely passing a law —as if that was a complete reason for doing nothing. That is, of course, the natural view for Conservatives to take; but while substantial measures of relief have been provided there are .problems, numerous and deep, which the progressive party of the future must try to solve. There are difficult and perplexing questions concerning the relations of the State to the individual and of the individual to the State; tho rates of wages in comparison with the value of manufactures and products; the changes in the purchasing power of money; the trend of population to or from rural occupations and tho effect of this on national prosperity; tho true value of Customs tariffs—all of these matters and many more that arise readily in the mind call for treatment that can only be satisfactorily and equitably applied after exhaustive investigations covering n very wide field and the discovery of facts of unchallengeable accuracy. To this ond Sir John Findlay suggests that there should, bo established a permanent board of investigation, comprising representative men of experience and ability, and invested with reasonable authority to conduct investigations. Such a hoard would not propose or devise schemes; it would simply ascertain facts and report upon them as required. It would apparently be largely, of the character of tho British Board of Trade, in so far as that board collects statistics —a branch of its activities which has been considerably extended during the last few years with much the same object as Sir John Findlay has in view. Some very useful and important work has been done by Board of Trade committees in new spheres of investigation, the value of work and wages and other information being tabulated in forms that are certain to assist in bringing reforms nearer. For example, tho price of bread in England is found to have risen 22.58 per cent, in the last fourteen years. That fact standing alone might lead to the supposition that tho baker is robbing his customer. The baker, however, escapes undeserved censure by the Board of Trade supplying the additional fact that in the same period the price of flour advanced 36.34 per cent. And the chance of getting down to causes is advanced a step. In Australia the Federal Government is organising an important scheme, to commence probably next January, for tho collection and tabulation of industrial statistics and their publication in a monthly bulletin. It is proposed to deal with _ a great variety of subjects and matters bearing on the interests of labour—rates of wages, hours of labour, average earnings, fluctuations in employment, the effect and scope of industrial awards, causes of strikes and lock-outs and metnods of settling them, prices of raw material and ' of household commodities and their relation to wages and cost of production, the cost of living, the national wealth and its distribution, and so on. In a circular written by Mr 6. H. Knibbs, Commonwealth Stxtistician, on behalf of tho Minister of Home Affairs, the co-operation of employers, traders, and labour officials is being solicited. It is interesting to observe that Mr Knibbs expresses the view taken by Sir John Findlay as to the inability of Parliament to deal with problems while lacking necessary data. “ At the present time,” ho s:.ys, “ anything like complete or accurate information as to tho matters proposed to bo investigated docs not exist in Australia, with the result that many reforms and measures are now directed more or less in tho dark, and hence it is impossible to accurately gauge what their ultimate effect will be, either on tho persons intended to bo directly benefited, or on the community at large.''" Accurate information regarding unemployment will be obtained, not because that evil troubles Australia at present, but so

that preventive and precautionary measures may be taken. The information proposed to bo gathered concerning strikes and lock-outs will include particulars as to the cause of industrial disturbances, their results, methods of settling, and the number of workmen and employers affected. An attempt will be made to ascertain tho direct and indirect loss caused both to employers and employees, and to compare them with the improvements in wages and conditions of labour effected by means of strikes. This seems a very practical step towards the discovery of root causes, and in view of the intended appointment in New Zealand of a Royal Commission to investigate the questions of the cost of living and of insurance against unemployment, tho results of the Australian scheme will bo of great interest, and probably of use, to this Dominion. Mr Knibbs very properly remarks, “an accurate knowledge of industrial life and conditions is indispensable to efficient national development.” To this we may add that efficient national development is the true aim of true Liberalism; hence Sir John Findlay’s proposal merits careful and appreciative consideration.