LABOUR SUPPORTERS MEET

Chronicle (Levin), 30 September 1946, Page 3

LABOUR SUPPORTERS MEET

MR. HOLLOWAY WELCOMED A large gathering of friends and supporters of the Labour movement gathered at a social held in Laurvig's Hall on Thursday evening, the object being to mpet Mr. P. Holloway, the candidate who will contest the Manawatu electorate in the forthcoming elections in the interests of Labour. There were also present Mrs. Holloway, Mr. Wood (president of the Manawatu Labour Representation committee) and Mr. W. Hurst (secretary of that crganisation) and also organiser of the Labour Party in the Manawatu district. | Before the proceedings were eomimenced, Mrs. Holloway was prejsented with a bouquet from the i women of the Shannon branch by • Mrs. C. D. Gyde. | Mr. R. E. Downes, president of the local branch, expressed pleas- ! ure in seeing such a large gather!ing and went on- to state that J although he had endeavoured to introduce Mr. Holloway personally to all those present, there were a number who had arrived late and had so missed the opportunity. Mr. iDownes stated that it was with jregret that the people of Shannon : were losing the services of Mr. L. I G. Lowry as a local member and as : a member of Parliament, as he had i during the past few months been ! very ill indeed. The speaker went on to say he felt sure that in Mr. | Holloway they had someone that I would measure up to the very hlgh jstandard set by Mr. Lowry. Mr. | Holloway had been through Unij versity, worked as a seaman and | travelled .through the Unlted i States as a lecturer. He was also a returned servicemen of the war ijust ended, so he had the benefit i of a high education, the knowledge of what hard work was and i also ihe broad outlook of one who had travelled. The president said that before calling 011 Mr. Holloway he would like to introduce Mr. Wood, president of the L.R.C. "Mr. Wood expressed thanks and pleasure in being able to attend i.lie funclion. "Mr. Holloway," he said, "is an excellent candidate" and congratulated the Shannon branch in nominating Mr. Holloway for the position as candidate. In opening his remarks, Mr. Holloway said that the organisafion in the interests of Labour in the Manawatu was very good indeed, and he felt sure that if he were returned it would be due to this fine organisation. The speaker mentioned that the people he had met during his visits had made him feel very much at home, and it was very pleasant to both Mrs. Holloway and himself to receive such overwhelming friendship. Mr. Holloway said that the depression years had not affected him as an individual, as he was going to school at the time and was unaware of the difRculties of the wage earner as a whole, but in the latter years during his travels he had seen hardship and privation in other countries. ' This, he said, made him determined that New Zealand should not ' go through another period of hardship if he could in any way help to avoid it. "New Zealand," he said, "leads the world in social legislation; in fact I feel sure that the lat'e President of the United States (Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt) had used this country as a blue-print to form his New Deal." Mr. Holloway said that New Zealand had emerged from the war better than any country that had fought on the side of the Allies. Egypt and Turkey had probably done better, but this was due to the fact that they did not actively participate in the war, but were paid for certain privileges granted to the Allies. Stabilisation of prices had done much to bring this country through on an even keel. As an example, America had recently lifted all price control and prices, and the cost of living had soared and was still rising. One concern had shown 800 per cent. on a post-war investment. There was a school of thought in this country which had ideas that a Gove.rnment of business men should take over the country. The result would be that a system similar to the old feudal system of England. This was operating in several countries today, noticeably Egypt and Italy, where the equivalent of the old lord of the manor ruled in state over low paid workers. New Zealand was today doing more than any other country for the family unit — family allowances, social security and other benefits for the family as a whole. In private enterprise today there were more small business men, farmers and the like, than cver before. Business monopoly was declining, said the speaker. In closing, Mr. Holloway said he came as a stranger to the people at the present time, but he hoped that during the years he would get to know each and everyone, and that they too would know him. A motion of thanks and confiriance was carried with acclamation and the ladies of the local branch provided supper for those present. 1 1 1 -i n