PUBLIC OPINION.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18258, 20 February 1931, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION.

As expressed by correspondents, whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no respons - billty. Correspondents must write In ink.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. (To the Editor.) “If ever there was a time in the history of New Zealand, or of the world generally, when people should get together and discuss national affairs and politics, tha.t time surely had arrived." —W. E. Parry, at Te Aroha. Sir, —All New Zealand sincerely trusts that Mr Parry is speaking with the full support and backing of the whole of the Labour Party with the above remarks. A disastrous visitation lasting 15 seconds, was sufficient to lay in dust and ruins what once were prosperous and beautiful cities and towns in the earthquake area, leaving behind a trail of death, sorrow, suffering and ruination to thousands, and all New Zealand in deep mourning. The prices for our exports are smaller this year than they have ever been, and as long as London is to be made the dumpipg ground for the ever-increasing exports from Russia and Denmark the door to the British Colonies’ produce will he eventually closed on us altogether. The cost of an eleotion to the taxpayer would be saved, which roughly at £150,000 would at £4 per week find work for 5000 men for two months, and if spent on productive work would be of far more reaching benefit to New Zealand than an election. The unemployment problem would then become a national one and with all the cards on the table and the brains of all parties on the work, the solution should present no difficulty whatever land be the means of bringing happiness into thousands of homes, where at present there is misery, depression and hun•ger. New Zealand would automatically place itself on the map of the world as a country with plenty of sound common sense in preparing herself to surmount the obstacles it is confronted with and the "publicity” department would save thousands of pounds that they are now spending annually.

Parliament will, it is presumed, have to discuss a special earthquake loan and a national government would mean that our credit would stand very high in ihe financial market when all shades of political thought are working as one body, putting their shoulder to the wheel, to face the present distressful state of affairs. 1 feel sure all the electors of New Zealand would be behind the movement as this is not the time for the wrangling, bitterness and cost of party politics. Mr Parry, who has for many years so ably represented the electors of Auckland West, is to be warmly congratuulaled on his remarks.—l am, etc.,

THE CIVIL SERVICE. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The civil servants are shedding crocodile tears, with their tongues in their cheeks. They are trying to convince the public that they are very ill-used individuals, yet at the same time they know that compared with the average toiler outside the service, they are on velvet. They attempt to draw a very pitiable picture of their lot, and. trot out the case of the juniors in the service, and would have the public believe that is representative of the majority of men with families. The public, however, is not composed of fools, and it will not be gulled by such pabulum as the spokesmen for the civil servants elect to serve out. The lot of the average civil servant is far more pleasant than that of the average worker; he has privileges and perquisites which the man in private employ can never hope to enjoy. Once in the Service he is provided for for life; he is able to retire at a fixed age, or after a specified term of service with the knowledge that his future need give him no anxiety. In quoting iiis rate of salary ire lightly passes over his superannuation or complains because it is stopped off his pay. He ignores the fact that it is merely a method of compulsory saving, which, will be heavily subsidised, will stand him •in good stead when he lias fulfilled the conditions of retirement. I know a man who was in Government employ for a lengLhy period. Joining up early lie retired at a comparatively early age and at present is only a little over three score, lie told me personally that the amount he contributed during bis service towards his superannuation was recouped to him in the first three years of his retirement and in the ordinary course, being yet agile and active, he will probably draw his pension (no mean sum) for upwards of a decade yet. How many persons in private employ are treated like that? No. My advice to the Civil servants is to put on the soft pedal. They are the most favoured and pampered class in the whole community, and if they persist in their clamouring it is not impossible that their conditions will he inquired into, in which case it is more than probbale that their masters, the public, with vehemently, demand that they be brought more into tine with the worker ia private employ.—l am, etc.,

FACT. MORRINSVILLE’S HALF-HOLIDAY. (To the Editor.) Sir, —“ Relax ” in your columns on Wednesday championed the cause of the continuation of the half-holiday at Morrinsville on Saturday. He evidently is more concerned with recreation than business. I would remind him that the time has passed, or is passing when the claims of trade can be lightly put aside. In prosperous periods it is natural that liberties be taken with the slogan “ Business First,” but when the pinch comes we have to consider our goings and watch our steps. Morrinsville traders can tfll convincing stories of dwindling turnover, a fair proportion of which is directly attributable to the diversion of business to other centres, and it is their desire to stop the drift that lias induced them to enter upon the campaign to change the weekly holiday from Saturday to Wednesday. “ Relax ” may not credit it, hut we do happen to know that trade which formerly came our way is actually going elsewhere, not because the other centres give better values than we do —they do noi—hut because settlers prefer Saturday night shopping and f*iey visit those towns where they can indulge their preference. Presumably “ Relax ” is a shop assistant; if so lie would he well advised in his own interests, to use any influence he may possess behind tiie movement for a change, but I can assure him that if the transference of trade is not checked Morrinsville traders will have no option hut

to shorten staffs, and It is impossible to predict the course of the shears. — I am, etc., STEM IT. Morrinsville, February 19, 1931.

economic position.

(To the Editor.) gir, May I venture to compliment you ’upon " your admirable leading article on the 13th. inst., in which you summed up the present position tersely and accurately, as was proved by the publication of Mr Forbes’ statement the following day. Tour appeal to members of the Legislature to place country before party was welltimed but it is regrettable that there is a faction which is showing an inclination to hamper rather than assist in the effort to place the. Dominion upon a solid foundation; it is appealing to base rather than the elevated traits in the make-up of the public. 1 have, however, sufficient confidence in the pilople to believe that they will not permit themselves to be caught in the coils as was Laocoon for if they do they assuredly will share a similar fate. I commend your suggestions l'or Lho formation ot a National Government and also the extension of the litc of Parliament for a year as wise precautions, 'these are exceptional times, and they need the adoption of exceptional measures. .—l am, etc., AJAX, To Arolxa, February 17, 1931.