The Christchurch Star PUBLISHED BY New Zealand Newspapers Ltd. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1931. THE RATIONING OF WORK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19268, 3 January 1931, Page 8

The Christchurch Star PUBLISHED BY New Zealand Newspapers Ltd.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1931. THE RATIONING OF WORK.

Gloucester Street and Cathedral Square CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND. London RoproaontatiYes i R. B. BRETT & SON NEW BRIDGE HOUSE, 30/34 NEW BRIDGE STREET LONDON. LCA

\ SERVICE like the city tramways is specially suited for the rationing of work, seeing that most of the employees work more than the usual eleven days a fortnight of the average working man, and receive double time for Sunday work. The tramway men, however, taking their cue possibly from Mr Lang in Sydney, are content to let the devil take the hindmost rather than sacrifice a day’s pay every fortnight for the sake of retaining some fifteen men in the service. The same spirit has been noted in the disinclination of many men in steady work to pay their unemployment levy, and this spirit is most regrettable at a time when the labour market is glutted, and men who are dismissed will not readily be absorbed in other occupations. Sydney is beginning to realise that businesses can be run more economically with small full-time staffs than with large part-time staffs, and there is something of a panic following the decision of the Labour Government that rationing should be prohibited. To oppose rationing is not the way to encourage employers to create work and retain the services of men who are barely showing a profit. On the contrary, such a course must lead to a stronger determination to economise in every direction, and in this respect the workers are turning the economy weapon on themselves. BRIGHTER PROSPECTS. T UNEMPLOYMENT has been increasing all over the world since 1929, but the main cause of the increase has been the continuous fall in prices since 1925. Two things may cause a fall in prices—either surplus stocks while the money in the hands of the consumers remains the same, or a contraction of the amount of money in circulation while stocks remain constant. In the last year both of these factors have been at work. World production has increased and the stabilisation of currencies has reduced the amount of money in circulation. When world trade recovers we may look for the reduction of unemployment, but this will only be effected when stocks are depleted and a fresh demand for goods sets in. At present industry is suffering a slowing down, but this must right itself in a more rational adjustment of supply to the demands of the people, and when the “Financial Times” predicts that 1931 will see perhaps the final phase in the readjustment period, its opinion is based on a close study of the factors governing the situation. ENDURANCE FEATS. | ."'EATS such as that of swimming Cook Strait share with other forms of endurance tests the quality of attracting a great deal of public attention without serving any useful purpose. They are picturesque, but they serve no other purpose than to appeal to the public taste for novelty. Miss Gleitze will be able to swim Cook Strait if she is able to withstand a temperature of from 54 to 58 degrees for anything up to twenty hours. Swimming ability scarcely enters into the matter in the strict sense. Unusual buoyancy is a requisite in all endurance swimming, for then no effort at all is required to keep afloat. That Miss Gleitze possesses these qualities is indicated by the fact that she swam Wellington harbour in 7 hours. C. Claridge, a Wellington swimmer, did the same swim in 3 hours 15 minutes. Miss Gleitze’s rate of progress was thus very slow. Should she be fortunate in her Cook Strait attempt, and meet with favourable currents, tlie chances are that she will get across. Her ability to withstand the cold will enable her to succeed where expert swimming qualities alone would be of no avail.