STATE CONTROL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 88, 15 April 1935, Page 7

STATE CONTROL

i I PROGRESS IN CANADA ■ . REPORT OF COMMISSION ] ( OTTAWA, April 12. Long steps in the direction of State control of industry and commerce, with I the twin objectives of assuring workers and primary producers of larger rc- I turns, and protecting consumers against | profiteering, are recommended in the re- ; port of the Royal Commission on price j ‘‘spreads” and mass buying, which has been tabled in Parliament. • | The keynote of the majority report ■ is the recommended setting up of a i Federal Trade and Industry Commission composed of five members. It is L proposed that the Commission should r be a semi-autonomous body, clothed in £ wide powers of supervision, regulation, r arbitration and investigation, and serv- v ing as an advisory body to the Govern- c ment in all matters relating to trade r and industry. A reduction in the hours 0 of work, with a uniform 44-hour week throughout Canada, is recommended, 11 with strictly-enforced minimum wage laws. ’ i The report state that unless flour- . milling companies write down their capital structures, and the capital values of their surplus capacity, they £ face bankruptcy. n The minority report recommends lower tariffs, increased foreign markets t and less Government interference in b business. i: v A message dated January 4 stated that the Prime Minister of Canada (Mr R. B. Bennett) had promised, as part of the reform policy of the Government. contributory unemployment insurance, a remodelled old age pensions scheme, health, sickness, and accident insurance, amended income tax laws to correct the inequality of wealth distribution, minimum wage laws, maximum hours of work, and further legislation in the interests of farmers. 4 ‘The time has come to change the t economic system,” said Mr. Bennett on a previous occasion. ‘‘ln my mind re- j form means Government intervention, control, and regulation to end laissez- v faire. Reform heralds certain rccovery. The economic system will be v examined without prejudice of any t sort. We neither hate nor Jove it. If ' it has failed we must change it.” v