SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24827, 29 January 1942, Page 7

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

TO THE EDITOR Sir.—Mr John Roberts,* secretary of the Clothing Trade Union in Canterbury, has given utterance to a very remarkable statement. Commenting on certain aspects of the emergency regulations as they affect workers under his guidance (I nearly said control), he complains that "the right of workers to sell their labour in the best market is denied them under the regulations and that causes dissatisfaction." I describe this as a remarkable statement, for it will surely be agreed that, if this right to which Mr Robers refers is conceded to the seller, the right must also be conceded to the employer, who is the buyer, to buy his labour in the best market. Mr Roberts also goes on to say: "There is a shortage of labour in the industry, and the workers are now denied the opportunity of taking advantage of the law of supply and demand." All I can say is that Mr Roberts should tell this to the potato-growers, who seem to be complaining of exactly the same thing. The Socialist programme does not take laws of supply and demand into account in all cases—or does it? -I am, etc.. True Bill. January 27.

[The Minister of Agriculture is said to have told the fruitgrowers last week that there now is no law of supply and demand.—Ed., 0.D.T.l