THE YOUTH PROBLEM

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20780, 15 July 1937, Page 14

THE YOUTH PROBLEM

To the Editor of " The Tlmaru Herald. Sir, —“Ajax” asks the question “Who is right, Mr Webb or Mr Armstrong?” My answer is "Why worry!” He should realise that Labour has been in office only one year and eight months and their progress in cleaning up the muddle left by the so-called National Government has been the admiration of the world, so much so that influential people of all walks of life are flocking to New Zealand to find out how it has been done. If there is any doubt on this point “Ajax” should look up the tourist statistics. No doubt the youth problem will be solved, along with others, in due course. For the information of “Ajax” I may say that it took about six years for the unemployment figures to grow from a few thousands to 56,000 under the Coalition and National Governments and it is only fair to Labour' to realise that the problem is now being solved in inverse ratio and will be normal in less than six years. Unemployment has been a problem in Britain since 1535 and has not been solved yet and is not likely to be solved either under the present economic system. It W'ould be interesting to learn what “Ajax” would do to remedy the situation. For his information, I can vouch for the fact that under the National Government many men were doing boys’ work for five years before being absorbed into the ranks of men workers, whereas, to-day, the lads are only in the same positions for five or six months before passing on to the first step of the ladder that will ultimately lead them to an income commensurate with their age, ability and service. People like “Ajax” remind me of an animal, the cow, which is said to be a ruminating animal in contradistinction to man who is said to be a thinking animal. The critics of the present Government should resort to a little thinking instead of imitating their leaders who are still ruminating instead of constructing a policy. Many leaders of the Nationalists, when questioned on their past legislative acts, candidly admit they made mistakes, and tragic mistakes too as we all know, and they try to gloss them over with such nonsense as national emergency and necessity, when all the time these ghastly social errors were due to ruminating instead of thinking. “Ajax” has chosen his “nom de plume” wisely. The hero of the Iliad was said to have been of great stature, strength and courage, but dull of mind. He killed himself out of vexation because the armour of Achilles was awarded to

Ulysses? What a pity the Nationalists could not follow Ajax’s example.—l am, etc., XAJA. Timaru, July 13.