The Press TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1938. Labour Promises

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 10

The Press TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1938. Labour Promises

The Government is endeavouring to impress upon the electors its claim to have made a dozen promises, three years ago, and to have legislatively fulfilled them all. There are two answers to this claim, and they both destroy it. One is that the Government made far more promises than this claim admits; they have not been fulfilled, and the Labour Party is strongly disinclined to discuss them and explain. The second is that its legislative performances by no means adequately carry out what was promised. Of this there is a striking example in the guaranteed price scheme, which, as it works out, fulfils neither the terms of the statute itself nor the grand hopes of 1935. It is worthy of note that the Labour Party's 1938 manifesto holds out the identical promise of the Primary Produce Marketing Act: " to provide an income " to farmers measured by New Zealand living " standards and in accordance #ith the services " rendered by farmers." What they swallowed three years ago they have now had time to digest; and they are not likely to bite a second time. . Another example is afforded by the housing scheme, which has not opened good and cheap houses to the workers whose need was greatest, has not provided more houses than private enterprise was putting up in comparable conditions, and has reduced private building to a dangerously low level. A third example is found in the Social Security Act, which introduces universal superannuation only by an eleventh-hour after-thought and by petty instalments, and which projects a medical service wider in application than is necessary, and much.less in value. These three examples are sufficient to show that, even where the Statute Book may be produced in evidence of Labour's performance, it is evidence that the electorate has been deceived. As for the first point, that the claim ignores as many promises as it includes, this is beyond contesting. There has been no reorganisation of education: the defective bill drafted for the purpose was dropped at the end of the session. Taxation has been increased, not only in volume but in pressure. The tax-system has not been revised and reformed. The exchange rate has not been lowered. The sales tax has not been abolished. The cost of living has not been reduced but raised, and' is still rising. Trade agreements with Great Britain have not been concluded to assure the Dominion an expanding market. Manufacturing industry has not been given new security and prospects. Every one of the promises implied in these sentences was boldly held out by the Labour Party; every one remains unfulfilled. Those electors who were impressed three years ago will read, in the new manifesto, promises as attractive, and will hear, them magnified and elaborated from the Labour platform. They will know what worth is to be attached to the latest promises of a party which has spent three years discrediting its old ones.