MR T. H. MCCOMBS AT LYTTELTON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22515, 24 September 1938, Page 19

MR T. H. MCCOMBS AT LYTTELTON

COMMENT ON REFERENCES TO SOCIALISM MR J. A. LEE’S NEW BOOK Quotations from ‘‘The Press” of many years ago were used by Mr T. H. McCombs, the Labour candidate for Lyttelton, when claiming in his address at Lyttelton last evening, that in crying “Socialism” against the Government the National Party was merely following the lines taken by all very Conservative parties for many years. This was one of the major features of the address, in which Mr McCombs also argued that the Leader of the National Party, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, was talking “with his tongue in his cheek” when claiming to be able to reduce taxation and at the same time undertake the extensive expenditure he proposed. . . “The Nationalists are following the traditional tactics of the ultra-Conser-vative when a government sets out to assist the rank and file of the people,” Mr McCombs said. “Always they cry ‘Socialism.’ It has been done in New Zealand under Ballance and Seddon — in England under Lloyd George, and in America with Roosevelt. Against all of them ‘Socialism’ was the cry. ‘The Press,’ Christchurch, in 1891, said this of Ballance: ‘They have been endeavouring to commit the country to movements which can only land it in the hopeless quagmire of Communism. These schemes, in fact, are not Liberal at all, but Socialistic.’ ” Mr McCombs quoted “The Press” as saying of Seddon in 1896: “At present .nobody knows what now fad is goi to be sprung on this unhappy country by its present Socialist rulers.” “The Press” was brought into existence to oppose the building of the Lyttelton tunnel, and had consistently opposed progress ever since, Mr McCombs said. If legislation to help the people—all the people—was Socialism, then Socialism was what the people wanted. Referring to the new book written by Mr J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Housing, on- “Socialism in New Zealand,” Mr McCon.bs said that the book was being reviewed by newspapers and quoted from by National Party supporters, but was not yet on sale. three-quarters of the book dealt with the Socialism* of other governments in New . Zealand, its appearance in New Zealand had been held up and the book was not yet being offered by Mr Lee to the public. Yet it was being quoted by speakers of the other side in their cry of “Socialism.” The word Socialism was used all the world over by employers and Tories as soon, as any suggestion was made of assistance for the under-dog. The cry was used always in an endeavour to discredit a benevolent government' and prevent it from helping the under-dog. Then there was always a hue and cry of “Socialism and red ruin.” “The Nationalists are trying to appear champions of freedom. They say they aim at the complete restoration of personal freedom and individual liberty. What they mean is that they wish to restore to the few the liberty to exploit both men and things, and to give to those few the freedom to dictate the policy of the Government. The Labour Party believes that there must be freedom for all, and to that end sees that all have the money and leisure to fulfil their own lives in their own way.”

Australian Taxation Mr McCombs made use of the new increases in Federal taxation in Australia in his claim that Mr Hamilton could not do all he was promising. “The Labour Government in New Zealand has not raised the rates'of taxation. It is the increased turnover that has brought the Government the increased revenue from taxation. The collection actually represents a smaller percentage of the national, income than in 1935. But what has the Tory Government in Australia done? You must have seen that there they have increased the income tax by 15 per cent., the land tax by 11.1 per cent., and they have increased the sales tax from 4 per cent, to 5 per cent. Yet the Tories here want you to put their government in in New Zealand. Mr Hamilton this evening is promising a reduction of taxation. At the same time he is undertaking to expand expenditure on defence, the development of industries -and the .tourist trade, health, education, pensions, and subsidies to county councils. His promises xftust be made with his tongue in his cheek, since he knows that both these cannot be carried out. Electors will know how to deal with a man who promises to buy their votes and at the same time to reduce his expenditure.

“But this is not the only reduction he promises. The National Party aims at the building of 5000 houses a year, when the production of houses under Labour was 6043 for the year just past. He will reduce the number, apparently. In his statement on policy Mr Hamilton referred to the unwarranted restrictions on private house building, when he knows there are no such restrictions. That sort of thing cannot be justified. His was the government that lent money to build 1069 houses in six years through the State Advances Corporation. The Labour Government has lent money for more than 3000 new homes—privately owned —since it was elected two years and a half ago. The volume of house production under Labour is limited -only by the number of skilled workers, and more are being trained as far as circumstances permit.” “People Buying Goods” “That can only be answered by seem S P e °Ple buy more goods,” said Mr McCombs, when answering the charge that the cost of living has absorbed the rise in wages. “The official figures for the consumption a head show the average person is buying 15 per cent, more goods than ever before, and 35 per cent more than in 1935, Weekly wage rates have risen 25 per cent, since 1935, while retail' prices have risen 12J per cent. These figures are given in the latest Abstract of Statistics. The total wages and salaries paid has risen by more than £30,000,000 a year since Labour got into power. This increased buying has made business prosper.” ' “He does not know what it is,” cried a voice, when Mr McCombs said that to the Hon. Adam Hamilton the compensated price was a mystery, Mr McCombs declared that the compensated price scheme—about which even the originators were obscure—could be operated only at the expense of the taxpayer, and a reduction in wages and pensions. Mr McCombs reviewed Labour’s plan, and spoke at length on the social security scheme, which he said offered real security against all the misfortunes of life for the first time. The plain fact of the financial side was that half the money for the scheme was to come from the Is in the £1 and the other half was at present being found for pensions and other things which would be replaced by the Social Security Act. The speaker was applauded warmly when he spoke of what the Government had done for his own electorate in, the .way of grants and improvements, particularly when he said that the Minister for Education, the Hon. P. Fraser had arranged to have plans for the new Lyttelton school so far advanced that it would be gone on with whatever Government was in power. Twenty thousand pounds had been spent on schools in the electorate in the last three years. Mr McCombs was introduced by Mr F. ET Sutton,, the Mayor of Lyttelton. There were about 70 present. Mr McCombs said the busy time at port and the'night being Friday affected the attendance. He was given a quietly enthusiastic hearing, and was often applauded. Only one question was asked, and at the end of the meeting Mr McCombs was given a vote _of thanks and confidence, and a motion was also carried by acclamation voicing confidence in the Government, i