WORKERS' POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1938, Page 23

WORKERS' POSITION

SECURITY NEEDED

AT MERCY OF SLUMPS

Only a very small percentage of the workers under the old economic system could save enough to make their old age secure, Mrs. C. S. Stewart, Labour candidate for Wellington West, ] said when addressing electors in the Gardens fearooms last night, and the Labour Government proposed to cor- ! rect that by providing collective I security. In the past the workers i had been at the mercy of sickness and slumps but men with vision had come | forward to change that and they would do so in spite of checks and delays. About twenty-five electors were present and the candidate was given an attentive hearing. Mr. J. Hyndman presided. There was no ideal she had ever held that was not embodied in the,«aims of the Labour Party, Mrs. Stewart said, and consequently she felt in a strong position. She was associated with a body of men who had high ideals and were striving to express them. That they were succeeding was I evident in the happiness of the people I under the Labour Government.

Labour had been accused of blaming the last Government for causing the depression. That was not so. All that Labour members said was that the last Government had an opportunity to save New Zealand from the worst effects of the depression and had failed to do so.

Another depression would have to come to test the genuineness of the National candidates, who said they would not make the mistakes of the past over again, Mrs. Stewai-t said. On the other hand Labour's stand was known and the people knew they would do what they said they would do.

The greatest legislative work of the Labour Government was the Social Security Act, which was framed to give security to all, but the Nationalists had said they would not operate it. They were making .promises but it was obvious that they intended to cut out some of the proposed services. The opponents of . the Government said the Government's legislation would take away initiative and make the workers "leaners." That was not right. When a man and a woman established a home they did not knowwhen sickness would come to use up their savings. They knew that slumps and booms would come, and when savings were lost the boom did not last long enough for more to be saved.

The health benefits were described by the Nationalists as sickness benefits but one big reason for the need of health services was the hardship suffered in the depression years.

People talked about the cost of living, said Mrs. Stewart, but the cost of living was not as alarming as it appeared. As a housekeeper she had to budget and had wished prices would not rise. However, she had gone into the position and had found that purchasing power had increased by 11£ per cent. When wages were increased the standard of living was raised. People got used to purchasing more and gave up living in the cast-off clothing of others.

, At the beginning of the depression, said Mrs. Stewart, she had known workers who had always had money and these had been dismissed and could not get other^work. As time went on they lost;confidence in their own ability and, instead of being able to keep their wives and children, they reached the stage where they felt life was not worth living. It was even worse for the women because they had to fight despondency in their own homes. Such conditions were manmade and could be prevented. It was in the hands of the people themselves to make things run more smoothly.

Mrs. Stewart also discussed housing and said New Zealand should always aim at homes where the people had room to breathe.

At the conclusion of her address, the candidate answered a number of questions and was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.