IMPORT RESTRICTIONS

Southland Times, Issue 23989, 2 December 1939, Page 15

IMPORT RESTRICTIONS

To The Editor

Sir,—l notice in The Southland Times this morning a letter from W. H. Johnson, of windy Wellington, suggesting that no one should venture an opinion on import control unless he is an importer. I heartily agree with this sentiment. School teachers should not be allowed to express their views on anything except the subject of education. Lawyers should confine themselves strictly *to law. Farmers should not express any opinion on matters beyond turnips, teamsters and top-dressing. Henceforth if my barber dares to stray in his conversation to other than tonsorial topics I shall, treat him as an imposter. The only exception I should make to this rule is the editor of a newspaper. He should still be permitted to write as his directors dictate with complete, omni-

potent authority on every subject under the sun and moon.—Yours etc., EXPERTO CREDE. December 1, 1939.

To The Editor

Sir,—There is a rumour going round that scores of young girls are to be engaged in shops for the Christmas and New Year season, as is always the case. The dismissal of these girls is to be broadcast throughout the Dominion as an example of the dismissals which have had to take place because of the import control regulations. It will be interesting to see if this happens.—Yours etc., TRADE UNIONIST. December 1, 1939.

To The Editor

Sir,—Who is W. N. Johnson, of Wellington? He writes in a very superior way about import control. Why does he not tell us what qualifications he possesses to discuss this question? Is he one of these persons known as indent agents, whose only stock in trade is an office table and a typewriter, and who rake off commission on every article coming into the country? It is sheer humbug for Mr Johnson or anyone else to claim that only these so-called business men are capable of handling the Dominion’s affairs. As a class, business men are ignorant, narrow-minded and self-opinionated, and quite incapable of taking a broadminded and long view of the nation’s affairs. Outside their own little sphere, their opinion on most subjects is not worth any consideration. May Heaven preserve us from the domination of the “business-minded.”— Yours, etc., SQUARE DEAL. December 1, 1939. To The Editor Sir,—l note that Mr Denham is again misleading the public. In your issue of November 28 he asks “how is it possible to expect normal business today . . . Normal conditions could not be expected in war time,” The meetings to which he refers are held as protests against the shortage of goods for sale. This is due to import restrictions. These restrictions wgre imposed many months before the war. Mr Denham must be fully aware of this, yet he has the audacity to infer that the war is responsible for the position. —Yours, etc., AJAX. November 30, 1939.