FOR THE MASSES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 134, 3 December 1929, Page 12

FOR THE MASSES

UNITED PARTY POLICY

The manner in which the United Party had legislated for the working classes was outlined by Mr. James Kerr, the United candidate for Hutt, in an address at Day's Bay last night.

The Reform Party, said Mr. Kerr, had' never legislated for the masses, but had always watched the interests of the big men. A fine humanitarian vein ran through the legislation of the United Party as was evidenced by the work of the last session. The Government had put through the Rest Homes Bill, which provided a proper home and attention for poor feeble-minded people, who were not cases for asylums. In addition, legislation had been passed improving the law in regard to the payment of pensions to miners suffering from miners' phthisis and removing any penalty on returned soldiers in respect;of the earnings of their children. Again, the United Government had made provision that the burial expenses of a returned soldier should be paid by the State and not by his relatives. Mr. Kerr also detailed what had been done by the Government in regard to the unemployment problem, and said that the remedy was not merely temporary. The Government had a scheme whereby it would provide permanent employment. Mr. J. B. Finlay presided at the meeting and at the close Mr. Kerr was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. W. A. Veitch) and Mrs. B. B. Wood spoke briefly.