THE CONTROL OF CREDIT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 12

THE CONTROL OF CREDIT

4 GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION

"EXPANDING VOLUME OF

MONEY"

An elaboration of the Labour Party s undertaking to take control of credit and currency was given last evening by the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister for Railways, at a meeting in the McDonald Memorial Hall, Woolston, addressed by himself and by Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P., Labour candidate for Lyttelton. .The Minister said that in taking control of credit and currency the volume of money would be expanded automatically to meet the -increase in the quantity of goods produced, thereby maintaining a proper relationship between the two. Mr Sullivan referred briefly to the work of the McCombs family for the Lyttelton electorate. The electorate, he said, was very fortunate in being represented by a young, capable man, who had inherited the very best qualities of his parents. The policy of the Government had been amply justified by results, Mr Sullivan said. An improvement in business and trade was apparent on all sides, showing itself in the happiness of the people. Statistics and other facts could be quoted to show that the incomes of the people of New Zealand were higher than in any other comparable country. The volume of consumption of goods had risen by 18 per cent.; and if the cost of 'living had risen above the increase in income, as was suggested by the National Party, then the people would not have been able to purchase this greatly increased quantity of goods produced by their own factories.

Mr McCombs said during his address that the social security scheme should appeal to all businessmen, as it would bring about an increase in purchasing power and give stability to business.

There was an attendance of 170 at the meeting.

MAORI LAtfD CLAIMS

ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT

SIR WEBB'S REPLY TO

QUESTION [From Our Own Reporter.] KAIKOURA, September 26. "My Maori friends may rest assured that if there is one man who would give his last drop of blood to improve the lot of the Maori, it is Michael Joseph Savage," said the Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb), answering a question from a Maori about Maori land claims at a meeting at Aniseed this evening. • The Maori wanted to know whether the Government would honour promises concerning Maori land claims. "There has never been a Government in New Zealand history which treated the Maori as a brother and in full equality with the pakeha as the Labour Government has done," said Mr Webb. The Government was helping the Maori to break in his own land, so that he could be a farmer himself, instead of working for his pakeha brothers. The state of some Maori dwellings was disgraceful. The death percentage .wigs high, and tuberculosis was rife. To overcome this state of affairs the Government was using large sums to build the Maoris new homes. The Government insisted that the Maori should get the same privileges and equality with the pakeha* and South Island Maoris could rest assured that their land claims would be met in a spirit of justice. ' The Government had no need to plead for the Maoris' vote. Much of the lands were originally from them. Some Maoris might vote for the last Government which kept them down: but he would remind his Questioner that Mr E. T. Tinkatene, the South Island Maori member, had never ceased pressing their clairns, and they could rest assured that no Government would give more ready attention than the present Government. STATE CONTROL OPPOSED

NATIONAL CANDIDATE FOR BULLER

' OPENING ADDRESS OF CAMPAIGN [THE PRESS Special Service.l WESTFORT, September 26. Support for the policy of private enterprise against State control was forthcoming torn Mr T. O. Maddison, National Party candidate for Buller, in the opening speech of his campaign at Karamea to-night. He said that if the Lewis Pass road service had been controlled by private enterprise instead ot the Government, through the Railway Department, it would never have been discontinued. Mr Maddison spoke for two hours to. an audience of 250 persons, and at times received a mixed reception, many interjections coming from _ one part of the audience.' Mr W. R.. Simpson (Karamea representative on the Buller County Council) presided, and 3t the conclusion of his address Mr Maddison was given a hearty vote of thanks with no dissension. Karamea, formerly in the Motueka electorate, has now been transferred to Buller through boundary revision. Speaking on local developments, Mr Maddison said that the work done on pakihi land development schemes near Westport had not justified the expense incurred by the Government, and he claimed that the scheme could be worked to greater advantage. He specially advocated a vigorous treeplanting policy for sheltering purposes. He agreed with many representations that the Westport Harbour should be handed over to local control, as was the case some years ago. The candidate reviewed the policy of the National Party at some length, and expressed confidence in its chances of gaining a majority on October 15. He said that three years ago the Labour Party had won five-eighths of the seats with three-fifths of the voting, but with the straight-out issue at this election the present Government had a big fight ahead. He said that people would think twice before supporting a Government pledged to Socialism, as the Labour Government was. Socialism was the thin end of the wedge of Communism, and had never been successful in any countries he had visited. He supported the principle of proportionate representatiqji, which the Government favoured previously but had now abandoned. "The Government is promising benefits to all," continued Mr Maddison, '•'but they never coasider who will do the paying. They say that they are like the Liberals of Seddon's day, but in reality they are rank Socialists." Strong condemnation of compulsory unionism, was expressed by the speaker, -who complained that the Government was dictated to too much by trade unions. He also criticised certain features of the Social Security proposals and other„Government legislation.

A large number of National Party supporters from Westport attended the meeting.