LABOUR'S RECORD REVIEWED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 12

LABOUR'S RECORD REVIEWED

Lack of Fidelity Alleged

MR G. C. WARREN'S OPENING ADDRESS

Devoting the main section of his address to Labour's "record of broken promises," Mr G. C. Warren, National candidate for Kaiapoi, opened his campaign at Rolleston last night. For two hours, Mr Warren discussed the results of Labour's government and the policy of the National Party. At one stage, continuous interjections from a small section made the meeting unruly, but, after a warning by the Chairman (Mr A. S. Wakelin) and an appeal for a fair hearing by an avowed j Labour supporter, Mr Warren pro-; ceeded without interruption. At the last election, Rolleston was in the Riccarton electorate.. " !

Government was the most important business in the country, said Mr Warren, and the National Party was putting forward a team of men from all Walks of life as candidates. All sections of the community were uruted into two distinct political camps. The greatest test of character was to be made; the issues were clearly defined, perhaps too clearly for Labour, which attempted to obscure the issue of Socialism v. private enterprise. The parents had cause for deep thinking of the prospects for their children. Taxation meant that no opportunities were being given in industries and the young people were being driven into public works camps. Labour did not disguise the fact that it was going the whole way to socialise the country. If Labour were returned, the people could say farewell to personal freedom. The Government based its Socialism on the fallacy that private enterprise had failed, while the National Party said it had been a glorious success. The Coalition Government left the Treasury benches with the finances buoyant and 28,000 men had been restored to employment in industry. New Zealand's conduct of its affairs during the slump period enhanced its reputation overseas. During the depression, Labour showed sympathy with only two classes —the trade unionists and the unemployed—and was definitely hostile to the rural community. Many of Labour's promises had been broken. A woman: Of course they haven t. "There was a definite lack of ity," declared Mr Warren, who said that after the election, Mr Savage said he was going to remove the exchange rate. It could not be done. The woman: Your party couldnt do it in 10 years. Cost of Living

The exchange rate could not be altered without consultation and action overseas, said Mr Warren. Labour also said the cost of living would not rise, yet it had increased. . . *. A man: The standard of living has gone up. , ,- - An example of increased living costs was given by Mr Warren.. Instead of the reduction of 5s 7d estimated by the Hon. D G Sullivan for a list of foodstuffs, the t '. had increased by 6s 7Jd. A woman: You could not buy that out of 10s a week. The Government's promise to end unemployment had failed, and its policy, which resulted in* higher internal costs, seriously retarded the process of absorbing the unemployed in industry. "Why is industry- going ahead? asked a man.

Mr Warren: It is going back. The man: It is not. Statistics will prove that. ' Further interjections ' were made while Mr Warren was discussing unemployment. What Labour thought of youth was shown by its expenditure of only £2OOO on youth promotion out of a revenue of more than £5,000,000. Why was £6,300,000 collected by taxation if there were no unemployed? A woman: The pepole have enough sense to know what has happened. "In spite of promises to reduce taxation, it has. risen by millions," said Mr Warren. The catch cry of Labour was "It is riot what you pay in taxes that matters, but what you have left :: In 1928-29 production was £126,600,000 and taxation £17,832,000, leaving £108,768,000: in 1936-37 production was £136,100,000, taxation £37,326,000, leaving £98,774,000. In 1928 taxation in cold cash was 2s lOd In the £; it was now 5s 6d. In three years the people paid in Customs duty £40,000,000, and that Sum was added to prices, and conversely, • deducted from purchasing power. The pocket was hit every time. This was only the start of Labour's policy of expenditure, expansion, and progress. Mr Warren also dealt with the taxation on companies. "Do not be deceived. The people pay lor every penny spent. To-day we are proposing to spend with extreme extravagance and keeping our hands in our pockets and allowing it to happen will not keep money in these same pockets. The people must be allowed to pay for schemes which they approved as individuals. Mass spending on unessential and Unproductive work is a political crime."

A woman: It is no such thing. (Laughter.) "Speitd and Bust"

Time and again, both Mr Savage and Mr Nash said the revision of taxation was long overdue, but they would not reduce taxation, because it would hamper their policy of "speed and bust."

A woman: How would you reduce taxation? Put men out of work? The definite danger to young people was that if it were known that a benevolent State was to provide for every contingency of accident, chance, and pfenurious old age, habits of thrift would go by the board. Less incen* tive Would be given to strive when the young people knew that a great part of their earnings would be taken by the State to support the less industrious, energetic, and provident members of the community; A running fire of interjections interrupted Mr Warren, and the chairman reminded the audience that the door was open for those who did not want to listen. A man, who said he was a Labour supporter, also appealed for a courteous hearing for the candidate. Although the Prime Minister said the sales tax would cease, the amount collected had increased in fhe last year by £1,036,000 to £3,499,000. The Government ■ had also failed to provide homes for workers at rents they could afford. The house shortage was acute and, in some centres, distressing. The State houses were not cheap, either to build or to rent. The hopes of homeseekers had been rudely dispelled. Building costs had doubled and private enterprise was throttled. "When history is written, this Government will be described as the one ihat drove more women and children into the cow-bails," said Mr Warren While not opposed to the principles of national superannuation and health insurance, the National Party was opposed to the Government's scheme which was unstably founded. There was no justification for assuming that the Dominion s income would increase in the next 10 years from its present * e £i°£nnn™ el ° f £l 5O-000.000 to £216,000,000, necessary to finance the scheme. It was disastrous to establish a level of pensions that could not be maintained in the event of price fluctuations on the overseas markets. The danger was that present pension Schemes would crash. The proposal was nothing but a glorified pension scheme. It was not a health but a sickness scheme, and its main virtue was that it would enable the people to become ill with less anxiety Points in the National Party manifesto were discussed by Mr Warren and a number of questions were answered. A vote of thanks to the candidate was carried, a motion of disagreement with his policy being supported by only one voico.

TOUR OF TARANAKI MR SEMPLE SPEAKS AT HAWERA (PJt>SB ASSOCIAfIOB lILieUX.). HAWERA, September 20. At Hawera last night the Minister * for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple)' „ began a brief political tour, which it .-. to embrace the four centres of Tara-. - naki Province, with an address on the activities of the two departments in, . his charge. His talks are illustrated by a film depicting the old methods and the new on public works. There was and audience of 1000, and hundreds were turned away. : A motion of confidence in Mr - Semple as Minister in charge of Public ..- Works, in Mr Savage as Prime Minis--" ter, in the Government, and in the * Labour candidate, Mr C. J. Duggan, to contest the Patea seat against Mr H. G. Dickie, was carried almost unani- '. mously. Deputations on minor matters wer* received yesterday afternoon, and thi» morning the Minister went to ■ Opunake. A civic reception is to be. tendered to Mr Semple by the-Central Taranaki local bodiejs to-morrow afternoon at Stratford, where he will speak in the. evening. He is also to speak at New Plymouth on Thursday, returning to Wellington by air on Friday. RESOLUTION OF LABOUR PARTY *, CONGRATULATIONS TO MR SAVAGE (UNITED PKF.SS ISSOCIATIOS—COPTBI&HT.) (Received September 20,■ .-11.50 pjnJ CANBERRA, September 20. The Federal Parliamentary Labour Party to-day passed a. resolution extending its heartiest congratulations to " Mr Savage and his. Government on its "splendid record of service to the people of New Zealand," and wishing the Labour Government every success in the forthcoming elections: NATIONAL PARTY LEADER'S " CAMPAIGN s The Hon. Adam Hamilton, Leader of the National Party," will open his election campaign in Christcburcb 6» - Friday, when he will speak in the St James' Theatre at 8 pjn. . - MR KYLE'S CAMPAIGN Mr H. S. S. Kyle." National canett- ~ date for Riccarton, will open his campaign at Little River on Thursday at I p.m.