EDUCATIONAL GLASSES

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14136, 13 August 1919, Page 2

EDUCATIONAL GLASSES

APPEAL TO WORKERS. ON BEHALF OF THE W.E.A. (By J. Gilbert.) At the last meeting of the Hamilton Workers’ Educational Glass, the members impressed their keen apprcciaii <n and delight at the elucidation of the problem of commodity prices, and, further, expressed their regret tha! the business men and workers of Em •own (they might well have i-icium-d .bo farmers and politicians near by) do n>t atbm.i Ibesc Hasses ami ther-my obtain a knowledge of the factors that invsiHihly and universally increase or decrease Hie purchasing power of the sovereign. I use 1 hi* word ■‘universally’’ not only to express the. worldwide application of lids phase of economic law, hut in recognition of the fact tint in these days of inlimale- international trade relations and swift interna'-ionnl communiealion and distribution local factors, like a stone thrown into a pond, exercise everwidening influences, which chiefly leave their origin in the world's great financial, commercial and industrial centres and quickly excite or depress trade io the most remote circle. Our tutor, Mr N. R. McKenzie, M.A.. Inspector id Schools, stales that “when money, in metal or paper, is plentiful, the. price

of goods is high, and when money ;s scarce prices fall.” The reason is obvious. It is a question of supply and demand. When money is plentiful the demand diminishes; when it is scarce tiic demand increases. Likewise, when goods arc in “over-supply” for the markets’ demands, prices fall, and when in “short supply” Ihe demand then exceeds the supply and prices soar. When money becomes plentiful quickly, as it did at the outbreak of the Great War, the purchasing power of the people quickly absorbs surplus slocks of goods and outstripcs production. The increased demand stimulates production, which begins lo ab sorb the surplus money, until the production of goods and the supply of money become fairly equal, when prices recede and the purchasing power of the sovereign is appreciably felt to he higher, and as production continues to absorb more and more capital, and the demand for money becomes thereby intensified, prices continue to fall, the sovereign grows in grace and extreme profiteering ceases. The economic class deals with and discuses “the Production of Wealth," “The Problem of Distribution,” "Rent, Interest, Wages,” “Trades Unions and Co-operation,” “Exchange Value.” “Metallic and Paper Money,” “Credit,” “Foreign Trade,” “Free Trade and Protection,” “The Functions of Government,” “Taxation,” “Socialism,” and allied questions. I have, so far, given the substance of our last lesson and the subjects which a course covers through three winter sessions, over a period of three years. The W.E.A. is an Association whose aim is to foster and satisfy the workers’ desire for such education as adds to the mental power and pleasure mf life. It realty brings the University into the midst of every working community with all its expert and accumulated knowledge. The tutors are either college professors or others who have attained distinction in the subjects they teach and the teaching i.precisely the same in value and .scope as that given in Hie University classroom. The movement seeks to help men and women in all walks of life, since the workers of the world, in the factory and the office, in the shop and in the home, on the road and the wharf, in the mine, on the land and on the sea, will all he the better for a widened accurate knowledge. In the Home Country, fully 3000 separate organisations are at work and has had there at least 50,000 working men and women annually under its educational influence. In New Zealand the W.E.A. receives an annual grant of £I2OO from the Government and contributions from many local bodies. Trade, Unions are here supporting the movements. organisation and extension by annual affiliation fees, and personal sympathy is being practically, shown by a rapidly increasing number of individual subscribers. The Association does not encroach on the special work done in technical training for the earning of a livelihood. It seeks to furnish the worker with knowledge that will increase his true enjoyment of life and his general usefulness as a reasoning citizen. “Bread-and-butter” subjects are not in its curriculum; but its classes provide the best available teaching in history, economics, literature, philosophy, biology, and kindred studies. Economics and industrial history are the favourils subjects. In Hamilton there arc two classes —economics and public speaking, which meet on alternate Monday nights in the Farmers’ Union rooms. Hood Street. Rev. E. O. Blamires is the tutor of the speakers’ class. These local classes are not receiving the support which they may justly claim and are only, greatly profiting the few instead of the many. The annual fee is only ss. As the movement is controlled by committees composed jointly of representatives of tlie educational authorities and tiie workers, it is essentially a workers’ scheme and they should rally round it and enjoy facilities and advantages which, in their circumstances, cannot lie obtained in any other way. The W.E.A. is untouched by party politics or religious sectarianism. It favours no special brand of social reform. The fact that about 75 per cent, of the delegates to the governing Councils represent Trade Unions indicates that organised Labour lots fully appreciated the movement. It is consequently an integral part of Labour’s programme. Two hours arespent each night, one in instruction, and one in questions and debate, anil result in a lively interest and keen enjoyment of the studies. The customary practice allows of free and reasoning discussion, under the expert guidance of the tutor. Unquestioning recentiveness is d’spliced by critical inquiry coupled with readiness to accept well-based truth. I am commissioned by Hie Class to earnestly request those interested to attend the studies and to at once communicare with the lion, secretary. Mr A. E. Webb, solicitor, Frankton. who will gladly furnish all necessary information.