MR HOLLAND MISREPRESENTED

Chronicle (Levin), 25 October 1946, Page 5

MR HOLLAND MISREPRESENTED

PHRASE "APPLIED LUNACY" EXP^iAINED WELLINGTON, Oct. 24. Alaking the lirst speecli of his Xorth Tsland election tour, the Leader of the t)pposition, Mr. H. G. Ilolland, received an entliusiastic. reception wlien^ he explained various phases of the Xational Partv's policv at a public meeting in the Mayfair Theatre, Upper Hutt, toniglit. Long before the meeting was due (o begin, all seats were occupied. The address was relayed to the ATajes tic Theatre vvhere it was listened to by the overflow audience. An eniphatie ,denial that he ever said Sot'ial Becurity was "applied lunacy", as stated by the Minister of Finaiice, Alr. Xash, was given by Alr. Ilolland. "That. statement is untrue, " said Mr. Ilolland. "Thcre is not a word of Irnth in it. I have. denied that. state ment over and over again but LuIjoui members, in tui atteni])L lo make some politieal eupital, keep repeating Ihe statement, knowing it has not the slighlest foiindnt ion. In I'acf. 1 have u eopy of their insl rticl ions. They are all "inslrueted to sav the same thing. " Alr. Ilolland said he was .appoiiited by the Ihen Leader of Ihe Opposilion ifon. Adam Hamilton, to be a memlier of ihe Ptirliamenlarv Felect Commiltee to investigate the (lovernmonl 's proposals for universal superttnnuat ion and soeial securitv. Towards the end of Ihe sittings which extended over severn! weeks, he requested the Clovernment to call certain people, including the .Secretary of the Tre.asury, to give evidenee so t litit the -Committee could know the linancial repercussions of its schemo. Their I'rime Alinisler, Ilon AI. .1. Havago, thereupon moved that these jjpople be not called and th Government refused to call them. lie and his Opposition eolleagucs took the view that it was right that they should know how the money was to be raised. They folt it was right they should know what was to be paiil aml where the money was c-oming from. When th inatter came up in the Ilouse he stiid it was "applied lunaey" to eoinmit one self to an expemliture before ihe re(}uisite income was reasonably assured, and that was a dilferent storv. He nevei referred to social securitv as "applied lunaey. ' ' Alr. Holland reealled that Alr. James Thorn, Labour eaudidate for Otaki recently made a similar statement in Parliament and he had thereupon d ra wa Alr. Tliorn's at tent ion to it. Like a man Alr. Thorn asked leave ut the next sitting of the Ilouse to make . ;i, '.statoiuout that he had misrepi',esejited Prii)te\ AlfnisteFf AT r: ; Frasef-, ahd'^iFrp Xasli had botli uiadt the' same eharge as Alr. Thorn and il thev 'followed his iead they would (b Ihe' lionourable thing as he had done. Mr. Holland referred to the National| Party's policy wherehy hushand and wife cogld register joint ownership ot a home so that when one of them died the home would pass to the survivor without the payment of death or suc cession ditties. Mr. Nash had claimec" the Government had similar legislatioi since 1943 and that he would be glac to show it to the Leader of the Oppo sition. "I saw Mr. Nash today and asked him to show me where thit 6cheme was in operation, ' ' said Mr Holland. "Mr. Nash promised to ring me this afternoon and tell me where J could find it. I am still waiting foi that telephone call." After quoting ligures rekitiug to tln decline in primarv jiroduetion, Alr. IIol land said what was needed was a Gov ernment that uiulerstood the problem; of the primarv- producers and was no! antagonistic to them. Mr. Holland said we were only fooling ourselves if w thought we could reduee liours of lab our and maintain the money ineonu ftpd be as well olf. Lmployer aitd em pioyee must be brought elose together There was no rootn for a gulf in a eountry like tliis., There was no maeliinery at present for Ihe prevon tion of industrial unrest. Tho Nttlion al Pai'ty proposed eotnplelely to reorganise the set-up of the Departmenl of Labour. Its main funetion at pre sent was linding what. lutd go.ne. wrong instead of jireventing things from going wrong.