NOISY MEETING AT HAMILTON

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

NOISY MEETING AT HAMILTON

ADDRESS BY MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE MR LEE MARTIN DEFINES IDEA OF SOCIALISM (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGSAit.) HAMILTON, September 23. A noisy meeting with an audience, of about 70 that was definitely hostile but well-behaved awaited the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) at Te Rapa last night Questions indicated the hostility of the audience, only one sympathetic question being put to the Minister. Frequent interjections and heckling interrupted the Minister’s address. A constable on duty at the hall had occasion to speak to one or two interjectors and a lull followed, but interjections were renewed later. The meeting was comprised almost entirely of farmers and particularly objected to the guaranteed price, Socialism, and the social security scheme. Mr C. Wise presided. The Labour Party’s idea of Socialism was defined by the Minister. He said it was untrue that the Labour Government was going to socialise the whole of. New - Zealand. - It all depended on what was expressed by the word “socialise.” New Zealand had gone a long way toward Socialism before the Labour Party came into power. There was no truth in the statement that the Labour Party was going to confiscate people’s savings and interfere with the rights of inheritance or the rights of freehold, he continued. Labour’s Objective A voice: What did Langstone say? Mr Lee Martin: Mr Langstone has given freehold to- 1082 persons. What he said was that, as far • as Crown land was concerned, he would not grant freehold, and I agree with him. Continuing, the Minister said that the Labour Party view was that what the State could do best it should do, and that what the individual could do best he should do. In reply to a question,. Mr Lee Martin said that the socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange was not on the Labour Party’s platform, but was one of the party’s objectives. There was nothing in that, as the objective could be achieved only by the will of the people. The Government had no intention of socialising land until the people wanted it. The moment the Government went beyond what the people wanted, it would meet trouble. The Labour Government had never passed one measure which would assist in socialisation of land. The legislation was there, but it had been placed there by someone else. The Minister added that nothing would be undertaken that was not on the platform announced by the Prime Minister. Vote of Thanks Discussing the guaranteed price, he said that the Government had lived up to its promise and had given the farmer stability and the enjoyment of a decent standard of living. He knew that the average farmer was satisfied with the present price. A voice: No. he is not. In answer to a question, the Minister said that if any Waikato farmer wanted labour, he (Mr Lee Martin) would undertake to find a man 'or him, and Tf that man was not a good one the Government would give the farmer assistance to enable him to be trained. A vote of no confidence in the Minister was moved by a member of the audience, who said that the Government itself had shown no confidence in him because it had appointed another Minister as Minister for Marketing. The Minister explained that the speaker did not understand the position. Marketing was always dealt with by somebody other than the Minister for Agriculture. A motion of no-confidence in the Government was then proposed. Before it was seconded, the speaker said that though he had been one of the Minister’s critics, he wanted to be fair and say that the Government had done good work with regard to the eradication of ragwort. He then moved a vote of thanks. It was not put to the meeting, but was carried by applause. “The Press" Classified Advertisements are read at the breakfast mole, and are sure to deliver results during the day—l2 words Is, 3 insertions 2s od. ’Phone 33-358, —6

HON. R. SEMPLE’S MEETING On Monday evening the Hon. K. Semple, Minister for Public Works, will address a meeting at 8 o’clock in the Papanui Memorial Hall. The Labour candidate for the Christchurch North seat, Mr R. M. Macfarlane, will also speak briefly. The doors will be. opened alf 7.15 pm. MR W- B- BRAY AT SUMNER Mr.W. B. Bray, Independent candl- . date for Lyttelton, addressed electors in the Sumner Town Hall last evening. The Mayor (Mr J. E. Tait) was in the chair, and there w ere a^out 38 present. Mr Bray was given an attentive hearing and received a vote « thanks after his Address.