MOB PSYCHOLOGY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 8

MOB PSYCHOLOGY

Tyranny Of Unionism Condemned MR. S. G. HOLLAND’S CLAIMS Dominion Special Service. HAMILTON, March 27. ••The National Party makes an appeal to reason, and not to mob psychology as the Labour Parly does,” said yj_r. Holland, M.P. for Christchurch North, in an address at the opening of the National Club iu Hamilton. The leaders of the Labour Party had assured the people over and over again that they had nothing to fear, said Mr. Holland, who added that the importers’ business was being wiped out by reducing imports to the extent of from £15,000,000 to £20,000,000. Business was being slashed to ribbons by the Labour Government’s policy. It was a tragic commentary on New Zealand’s educational system that political lessons could only be learned in the face of adversity, Mr. Holland stated. The Abstract of Statistics showed how primary production was dropping. The Labour Party had asserted that New Zealand could continue to enjoy prosperity independent of overseas conditions, but he contended that it was foolish to say that overseas trade was not related to the Dominion’s prosperity. Loss iu Dairying. The Government’s policy mid resulted in an alarming drop in production. There were 100,000 fewer dairy cows in New Zealand today than there were in 1035, and that drop alone represented a reduction of 500,000 boxes of butter a year and £1,500,000 in farmers’ assets. Wool, cheese, lamb and pork had also been produced in smaller quantities than in previous years, and the revenue received from products which showed an increase in volume was considerably down. “We are in a financial crisis today,” said Mr. Holland, who stated that the country could not afford to “monkey” with its trade with England. New Zealand exported 95 per cent, of its products to Britain and received iu return only 5 per cent, of England’s products. The tragedy of all this trade-slashing was that it was avoidable. It was a folly that was only equalled by its moral injustice. Work on the Waterfront. The tyranny of compulsory unionism was described by Mr. Holalnd as a blot on the country all d 0110 that would not be permitted a moment after the National Party got into power. The work on the wharves had slowed down by 35 ]>er cent. A few years ago a gang handled 850 boxes of butter an hour, but now the quantity was 500 boxes a gang an hour. The waterside workers had three steps, “go slow,” “go very slow,” and “stop.” Two Ministers had pleaded with the men iu a comfortable Wellington theatre with a view to persuading them to resume the “go-slow” policy of 500 boxes an hour, in the speaker's opinion the men should go back to the 850 boxes an hour rate.