BRAINS CAUSE SLUMPS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18818, 5 March 1931, Page 6

BRAINS CAUSE SLUMPS

CAUSE AND REMEDY. An allegation was made at the monthly meeting of the Levels County Council yesterday by Mr G D. Selbie that it was the brains of the country which were the cause of slumps, because they cornered everything. These remarks were made following the reading of the following letter from the chairman of* the Awatere County Council (Marlborough), who wrote stating that in view of the serious economic condition of the Dominion, his Council had passed the following resolutions, which It was desired the Levels County Council should support:— “(1) That all capital expenditure on new works not yet commenced be postponed until normal times return, ana the Main Highways Board apportion the money thus saved as an increased subsidy to County Councils for the purpose of road maintenance instead. “(2) That in lieu of the present system, the funds of the Main Highways Board be diverted and paid direct to local authorities in proportion to the amount of rates collected (or on valuation), with a view of tremendously reducing the main highways costs of administration, and also avoiding extravagance entailed by unnecessary work. “(3) That the Government be urged seriously to consider the necessity of reducing the honoraria of all Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, '.leads of Departments, and review the whole of the public service generally, with a view to effecting economies and reducing expenditure in all directions.” The chairman (Mr T. B. Garrick): “What are you going to do if everyone stopped work?” Mr Selbie: “In a sense they are right. It is the brains of the country which are cornering ever thing.” The chairman: “You have given us the cause. What is the remedy?”

Mr Selbie: “Live and let live.” Mr C. E. Kerr: “We have to keep going.” Mr Selbie: “I have thought this matter over and over again, and it appears to me that as soon as the farmer gets on hLs feet, they come at him again and fleece him.”

The chairman: “When he gets on his feet he buys a car.”

Mr Selbie: “They hit him again and again just to keep him working.” The letter was received.