A fragment of a better order? : the Manawatu Co-operative Society Ltd, 1935-1939 : a research exercise presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History at Massey University
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Date
1995
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Massey University
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Abstract
The world experienced the 1930s as a time of economic depression, with increasing
political unease about the situation in Germany, and wars in Spain and China. The economic
depression triggered by the collapse of Wall Street in October 1929 was felt in New Zealand
from 1930. Unemployment rose, wages and farm prices fell, and New Zealand saw an
increase in relief work and soup kitchens. In 1932 there were riots in the main cities. A
coalition of the United and Reform parties won the 1931 election, but voters found the
government was unable to improve conditions materially. The first Labour Government won
power in November 1935, and although New Zealanders saw good times ahead, the economy
did not fully recover from the slump until demand for the country's products improved with the
Second World War. Although New Zealanders are generally proud to be individualists,
experiences of the 1930s encouraged many to work together to mitigate the prevailing
conditions. Women's unemployment relief committees were established up to help women
without family or government assistance, by providing food and training in domestic skills.
Churches became increasingly involved in economic and social problems, and previously
evangelical city missions assumed a welfare role. Similarly, the State's place in the domestic
economy changed from the late 1920s. The Government made housing loans available, eased
mortgage payments and increasingly provided work schemes and benefits for unemployed
men. Labour's election in 1935 led to previous government welfare initiatives being
consolidated in the 'welfare state', and compulsory unionism was introduced. There was a
general rise in collectivism in society at this time, and within this, the model of international cooperation,
and especially British consumers' co-operation, attracted attention in New Zealand. [From Introduction]