THINGS BETTER THAN THEY SEEM

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19117, 9 July 1930, Page 6

THINGS BETTER THAN THEY SEEM

NEW ZEALAND MOVING TOWARDS GO'”' "MMES.

The economic barometer in New Zealand seems definitely to have swung to “ fair.” Beyond “ fair,” and not very far from it, is “ prosperity.” As far as the most observant business men are able to say the pointer is on the way to that delectable word. No tendency to retrogression has been seen: all the evidence points to a continuation of the movement towards better things and happier times. Prudence recognises the difficulties that lie in the path, but experience has provided the solution to most of them. All that pessimism appears to be doing just now is hiding its head beneath a clcak that it thinks is economic depression. but which optimism knows to be just its own lack of courage and disinclination to tackle a position that hard work can turn to good account “ Things are better than they seem.”

A Christchurch business man whose position gives him ynusually good opportunities fot keeping in touch with conditions of trade was emphatic in making that declaration this morning. “ While, in many quarters, business is difficult,” he added, “ yet there are certainly bright spots.” He instanced the motor-car industry and said that he had been assured by one firm that its sales during the pa*t year had constituted a record. “ Some of the retail soft goods houses are more than maintaining their figures, and what is decidedly interesting, is that this increase in sales is divided almost equally between town and country,” he said. “ One might have expected the country sales to have fallen, but no fall has befen registered. “ Prices generally are lower, making business more easy to get. All merchandise has fallen considerably in price during the last six months. Quality of Goods.

“ The Government Statistician is working on a false scent in many cases. Many of the articles listed are used very little, and new articles have been adopted. It is safe to say in every case that prices are misleading because merchandise is so much better in quality at any given price and will give more lasting wear and prove a better investment for the purchaser Co-Operation Needed.

“ With a little more give and take between Capital and Labour things could right themselves in New Zealand pretty promptly. It is not of much use to ask the min on the land to work 60 and 70 hours a week, when the man in the workshop is working only 40 hours a week It means, of course, that the country worker is working long hours to keep the town wrorker in a sheltered position both as regards wages and time worked. In Australia, the land of many strikes and Labour Governments, they have already discovered that they must get back to a 48 hour week, not from choice but from sheer necessity. It is not just or wise for any section of the community to claim for itself certain privileges that cannot be shared by the workers in the unsheltered industries. Sanity Needed. “New Zealand is a great little coun try. It can get back very quickly, remarkably quickly, but a good deal of sanity has to be exercised in choosing the way out. More wages and less work will not do it. It is ordained that a man eats by the sweat of his brow, and legislation cannot alter that. Fortunately, Labour in this country is not aggressive. It is, on the whole, sape It could be made a great deal saner with a little more responsibility. If the present Government can reduce expenditure at the earliest possible moment and reduce income tax it will help the workers perhaps more than the employers, and this is what Labour must recognise if it wishes to rule in New Zealand. Better Than Most. “Possibly our position is better than that of most countries in the world We have a great deal more food than any other country and the living conditions of the workers in this country are. without doubt, the best ruling anywhere. In America, wages may be high, but the conditions are very hard The ordinary rank and file cannot afford anj’thing but cotton clothing, even in buying suits. In Central Europe, the longer hours worked tend to cheapen the food,supply, and though wages are low the conditions of many of the people are rather better than they are in some of the colonies, especially as reghrds the amenities of life—music, art, education, culture, etc. But in no country would you find such an abundance of high grade food products going direct from the farm to the consumer as in New Zealand. Price of Bread. “Possibly the only exception in our fcod supply is the dear loaf. We certainly seem to have the dearest loaf in the world. That, possibly, can be remedied to a certain extent. Canada can supply bread at a little more than half the price in New Zealand, and London about three-quarters. The price of bread in Europe is equivalent to 9d. or lOd. for the four pound loaf. The high price of bread in New Zealand must surely _ have some bearing on labour costs in our secondary industries.”