THE TWENTY POINTS

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2782, 1 December 1931, Page 2

THE TWENTY POINTS

MAINTAINING OUR CIVILISATION LORD BLEDISLOE’S VIEWS. “Civilisation, and its development through the medium of commercial prosperity, are threatened to-day as never before in the history of the world,” said His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General, Lord Blcdisloe, recently, according to the N. Z. Financial Times. “Times and conditions have changed ' with startling rapidity since the Great j War, and we must all change our out- i look and conceptions correspondingly or be ranked as contributors to irremediable world decadence. Never was there greater need for serious thinking, cautious yet courageous action, or selfless patriotism among the world’s statesmen and its leaders of industry, commerce and finance. Optimism can only flow from a full realisation on the part- of the whole community of the necessity for an entirely new oriental ion of view and the determination of its leaders in every sphere of national activity to contribute their quota seriously, honestly, and constructively to the process of pacific reconstruction. Let none of us, like Nero, by careless indifference, untimely levity, or deliberate myopia, be guilty of fiddling . while Rome is burning. How, it, may be asked, is the world to regain its eco nomic equilibrium and those engaged in trade and industry that sense of security and confidence which is essential to enterprise, and consequently to the maintenance and progress of civilisation? To this question many and conflicting will be the answers of perfectly honest men of sound judgment and ripe experience. No sane mortal amid the present world economic welter would claim to be pontifical on such a subject. I submit, however, that, among other opinions which are daily gaining adherents among thoughtful and experienced persons, whose views on political, social, and religious questions are widely different, the following are worthy of serious consideration:—

(1) Simplicity of living, thrift, ami love of conscientious work —characteristics which made in the past for the greatness of the British race—must onco more permeate every class of the community. (2) Any national habit or national policy which is destructive of thrift must lie discouraged as inimical to the public welfare. (3) The drifting of population to the towns must by various means b 1 effectively -checked. The bulk of the world’s present difficulties are duo, diroctiy or indirectly, to divorce from the land and its simple strenuous life. (4) The institutional support of physical and mental defectives of every highly civilised nation is becoming too heavy a financial burden to place upon Hie backs of the nation’s workers. To prevent the multiplication, rather than to attempt the cure, of the unfit should be the aim of every civilised State. (5) Unless the world is to become bankrupt and self-respecting nations reduced to a condition of economic serfdom threatening the world’s future peace, international war debts are bound to be materially reduced or wip-

ed out altogether. ((i). Unless gold is available in much larger quantities than it is at present and circulated more freely as the medium of commodity exchange it is bound to give place to another standard of value or else to share that standard with silver or some other metal. (7) The banking system of the world, which has served its monetary requirements admirably while Britain, to her credit, remained unchallengeable the financial and commercial hub of the universe and economic internationalism was less dominant, is bound to undergo sonic modification to meet altered conditions. (8) The expansion of public philanthropy and even of commendable public social enterprises which constitute an ever-increasing burden upon industry

duslry provide the means and justificamust be retarded until the profits of intion of their further development. (9) A drift into public indebtedness except for demonstrably reproductive purposes must be rigidly and courageously stemmed. (10) As wild speculation in real property is inimical to the public interest ami arrests national development, steps should be taken to prevent its rccur-

ronce with returning prosperity. (11) In a new and isolated country like New Zealand, dependent for its economic existence upon the profitable export of its primary products, the much-needed increase of its population can only safely be effected by the settlement under suitable conditions of more persons on the land, and their due training, equipment, and commercial organisation to ensure their vocational stability. The growing intensification of husbandry justifies from an economic standpoint the greater subdivision of i fertile land. (12) As the value of land products, | allowing for periodical fluctuations, is not likely in future to rise appreciably above pre-war levels, it is imperative lor primary producers to look for their economic salvation to reduced costs of production, rather than to the enhanced price of their output. (13) Science is destined to govern agriculture and other industries to an ever-increasing degree, and competitive success will depend upon its frank recognition and the prudent adoption of its teachings. (14) Steady prices are better both for trade and for prudent public policy than alternating booms and slumps. (14) Uneconomic secondary industries buttressed by abnormally high fiscal protection are calculated to put an undue burden upon other industries and to reduce the purchasing power of the whole population. (15) In face of the mass production of other countries, the multiplication of relatively small-scale industries of the same type with no mutual rationalisation and augmenting their overhead costs with excessive variety of output may prove in the future, however well conducted, difficult to justify in the public, interest. (Ifi). Close and friendly association and sympathy between primary producers, the manufacturers of their products, and their distributors is essential to the prosperity of all three classes and to a full measure of custom and confidence on the part of the general

public. (17) Rapid turnover at a small margin of profit is more conducive both to trade prosperity and to popular contentment; than a sluggish turnover at a higher individual margin with an accumulation of stale and ultimately unsaleable stocks. (18) The allowance of long credit is apt to demoralise both trader and customer and to enhance the cost of essential commodities to the disadvantage of the poorer classes of the community. (19) Tlie sale of the output of a country’s factories, if the quality, description, and price are satisfactory to the purchaser, deserve all encouragement, as tending to stimulate local industry and prevent unemployment, but failing the fulfilment of these conditions it is of paramount importance, if money is to have its full purchasing value ami international exchange is to operate to the advantage of the local community, to afford trade preference to the products of those countries which are the best customers for the products of your own. (20) Public opinion should, while encouraging healthy, athletic achievement, foster among the youth of the nation a love of work rather than of pleasure. No mere pleasure-loving or woik-shy nation can ever achieve greatness, and a nation which has become great through hard, honest work will inevitably lose its greatness in proportion to its disinclination for work or its endeavour to short-circuit the only sure path to prosperity and happiness. “There is no country more richly endowed than New Zealand in respect of its climate, its people, and its Press. If it will but live within its means and preserve harmony within its borders, its trade and commerce and the happiness and contentment of its inhabitants are assured.”