STATE AND ITS SERVANTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27346, 23 March 1950, Page 8

STATE AND ITS SERVANTS

Sir,—Mr Frank Wilson, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, suggests as a remedy from ill-balanced economy this gem: “There are many thousands of vacant positions in private industry today which could be filled if staff from State services could be freed to them.” That remedy is but the old “ head-hunting retrenchment ’’ methods that preceded every depression. Why, sir. the fact that twice recently too much coal has been produced to obtain transport to convey it suggests that taking men from “ State services ” to produce more coal will not get the coal away. Only transport facilities fully manned will do that. If State services are affected by cannibalistic economy remedies the result would be as chaotic as it ever was when tried. There. must be sufficient transport and exchange to equate production. What must be avoided is that taking men from transport services as conveying coal or farmers.' produce is linked up with power to produce. If Mr Holland re-reads the good evidence he gave at the Currency Commission, he will not fall for deflation-ary-creating schemes he then set out as a young man to correct.—l am, etc., J. E. MacManus.