NO REDUCTION OF WAGES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22515, 24 September 1938, Page 16

NO REDUCTION OF WAGES

NATIONAL PARTY’S PLEDGE CHALLENGE BY MINISTER ANSWERED HON. A. HAMILTON ASKS SOME QUESTIONS “We will not reduce wages, salaries, or pensions.” An emphatic reply in these words was made by the Hon. Adam pamilton, Leader of the National Party, last night in accepting the challenge of the Minister for Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) to state the party’s policy definitely. In turn, Mr Hamilton challenged Mr Fraser and the Prime Minister to answer with the same positiveness questions which he asked. « “The Minister for Education has started his old game of issuing challenges,” said Mr Hamilton. “He has issued one to me, and I am not going to run away from the Minister and his colleagues. My answer to the challenge will be without qualification of any sort. I want to tell the Minister that two can play at challenging. I want him to take up the challenge I shall make to him—and remember who started it.” Mr Fraser had asked: “If a depression came, would the National Party pledge itself not to reduce wages, salaries, and social services?” His reply to that was' “We will pledge ourselves not to cut wages, salaries, or social services. (Hear, hear, applause, and boos.) No man had ever given a straighter or more positive answer than that. “I now challenge the Minister for Education and hope that he will be as positive and as emphatic. Didthe Labour Party’s newspaper cut the wages of its employees during the last depression? Will he give an assurance that in the event of another depression they w:R not cut the workers’ wages again? “Will the Prime Minister explain what he means by insulating New Zealand from a fall in overseas prices and why he did not insulate the sheep owners against a fall of more than £6,000,000 in last year’s wool prices? And will ho also explain why. he did not insulate the dairy farmer against increased costs this year? Will his party if returned to power give an assurance that the country quota will not be interfered with?” , r If the Government said that the National Party would make the Arbitratiort Court cut wages, it was saying something that was not true. For the tenth time he' would say that the National Party would not cut. wages and pensions. It wpuld leave industry .to the. Arbitration Court. When Mr Hamilton said, “Compulsory unionism is .going, to go,” the applause and cheering were deafening, though some hooting was also heard above the expressions of approval.