NATIONALISATION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11959, 10 December 1919, Page 7

NATIONALISATION.

Speaking at Farewanui Mr Newmau said that after'caroful observation he had no hesitation in stating that in his opinion the Labour Party would never make good in New Zea- | land until they jettisoned their present representatives in Parliament. In his opinion the leadership of Messrs Holland, Fraser and! Semple was too big a handicap for any Party to carry. He wanted to make clear that he would welcome the election of a considerable number of Labour members provided they represented sane labour and had for their objective the betterment of the conditions of the workers of the country by constitutional methods, and were loyal to the British flag. Further, he desired to say that he considered that Mr Downie Stewart was right when he said the Labour Party in New Zealand were ten years behind leaders of radical and progressive thought elsewhere, especially regarding nationalisation. Mr Newman quesiionod very much if the nationalisation of industries would benefit the workers in the long run. In the case of a dispute they would be up 'against the Government instead of a small body oH employers, and would not be successful in disputes unless public opinion was in thoir favour." sl From the State's point of view it is questionable if there is much to gain either. As Mr Lloyd George said no one has yet convinced him that a man will work better for the State than for a private employer. Nationalisation really means that the workers would be under officials instead of under private'employers, and this would bo no gain to anyone. A privato employer is generally willing to reward industry and ability, a State official is not likely to be so willing. Of course the Extreme Party say J pay all the revenue of the industry to labour, but honest men will not, support this. If the State nationalises au industry it muot buy out the owners, and interest on the purchase money must be provided, and the State must make enough profit to maintain and develop the industry, and provide for bad debts and scrapping plant, as private firms do. True some of the present owners' services might be dispensed with by amalgamation but against that, private enterpise attracts the best brains, more than Government employ does, so the output might cost more to keep up after all. He believed that the oruployoes should have a voice in the management of large industries. He had urged this in the House and on the platform, and believed it was the wa3' out of industrial unrest As Mr Downie Stewart says in the article to which | the Bpeaker had already referred. "A far more hopeful line of advance is that which is being tried in England, but just now, Jwhon the workers are being given a greater share in the control of industry. Only the other day Mr Lloyd George gave the workers a share in the control of the whole of the railwa3's of England but if this is the true solution it is equally applicable v;o private industry, without going to the enormous expense of nationalisation, and the creation of a huge body of State officials." Mr Njjwman was prepared to support the Government in any movement in this direction