THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1947. COSTS AND WAGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26607, 1 November 1947, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1947. COSTS AND WAGES

The discussion that followed the presentation in the House of the report on the petition of the president and members of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Association, produced evidence that more and more members of the Labour Party are becoming aware of the perils of a policy of uncontrolled inflation, even though party considerations and discipline may have led them to vote in favour of measures which have contributed directly towards an acceleration of the inflationary trend. Mr Connolly (Dunedin Central) summarised this opinion when he said that the national economy appeared to be developing into a game of leap-frog between costs and wages, and that much of the workers’ discontent was due to the fact that the wage increases they received were swallowed u'p within a few months by rises in prices. The views expressed by Mr Connolly and other Government members ' who "spoke in the same vein were those that have already been broadly enunciated in the Walsh plan and supported by moderate opinion in the Federation of Labour. They represent a realistic and commonsense outlook on what has become a grave national problem, and if the men who hold those views can stimulate the Government into determined action they will have performed a very'valuable service to the thousands of workers in this country who are the unwitting, sufferers in the conflict between wages and prices. The recent wage order announced by the Court of Arbitration corrected most of the disparities that existed in the distribution of economic rewards, but its effect was to increase the cost structure on which all prices are based, and its benefits- nvere quickly dissipated as commodity prices advanced. So quickly, in fact, tljat already there has been talk of application for another general increase. Unfortunately, none of those who advocate this course can suggest where the extra money might be obtained except from the pockets of the workers themselves. The distribution of wealth in New Zealand has been estimated to be the most equal in the world, more equal than in Communist Russia, and a policy of taxing the rich to benefit the poor could, therefore, be applied to a very restricted extent. Eminent economists have pointed out that organised Labour could defeat its own ends by its obsession wjth inequalities of income distribution, whereas great and continuous gains were available to it by concentration on increased production. At the present time the most important single item in the cost structure is wages, and any general-increase in rewards must inevitably lead to higher prices and the consequent defeat of the purpose of the increase. “The remedy for the present conditions lies not in sectional striving for the larger shares of a limited total income, but in expanding that total,” said Professor Tocker, in giving evidence at the general wage order hearing, and if that purpose were made the unswerving aim of both labour and employers both would enjoy the real wealth that comes of full and continuous production in every branch of industry.

BANNED SCHOOL BROADCASTS The discussion in Parliament on the suspension of a series of school broadcasts entitled “How Things Began ” is inconclusive. Mr Mason, who was Minister of Education at the time, has stated that the action was taken at his request. To that extent answer has been given to the petition which was lodged in the House praying that an inquiry be made. Mr H. E. Combs, who presented the petition,' admitted this, but left the implication that other points remained unanswered. As a member of the Government it would have been embarrassing for him to have pursued the subject. Without entering upon a discussion of the evolutionary theory—which was not desired by the petitioners—and having the information that the Minister of Education suspended the broadcasts, it still seems pertinent to inquire into the circumstances which caused' the Minister to take action and also into the propriety of the course he adopted. The Prime Minister held tli at the Minister had the right to suspend the broadcasts and members of the Opposition conceded this point, but Mr Fraser also said that the Minister of Education had to trust those to whom he delegated responsibilities. All Ministers of the Crown must be guided by experts on the matters which are entrusted to them and they must be wary of responding to personal prejudices or to pressure from sectional interests by over-riding the advice they are given. The series of broadcasts in question, according to the journal of the New Zealand Educational Institute, was prepared and edited by wellqualified specialists with the meticulous care characteristic of 8.8. C. recordings and had been used for three years for broadcasts in schools in England. Before the series was introduced into New Zealand schools it was submitted to and approved by the Advisory Committee on School Broadcasts which was set up by the Government. Much preliminary organisation was carried out and the teachers were supplied with supplementary notes. Nine broadcasts had been given when the series was suspended at a point when dramatised descriptions of the origin of man were to be presented. Even if the broadcast matter could not be altered to meet legitimate objections —if such could be raised—it is hard to imagine that the teachers’ supplementary notes could not have been adapted to place controversial matter in a proper perspective, especially when such matter is almost certain to be touched upon in social studies,

in history and geography, and, possibly, as the result of museum visits. Mr Mason has endeavoured to avoid this point by contending that the tone of the presentations was undesirable. In view of the eminent respectability -of the Sponsorship of the series, it would rather seem to be undesirable that one man by virtue of his temporary position should set himself up as a final arbiter of taste. Mr Mason also stated that some objections would be on religious grounds and spoke of the danger of teaching a faith which would crumble in later years. It could be contended even more forcefully that the danger lies in such bans, and not in the free circulation of such interpretations of life as were apparently given in these broadcasts.