LABOUR’S PLAN

Evening Star, Issue 21748, 16 June 1934, Page 12

LABOUR’S PLAN

ADDRESS BY LEADER [Per United Press Association.] CARTERTON, Juno 16. Mr M. J. Savage (Leader of the Opposition) addressed a good meeting at Carterton last night. Commencing -by criticising the Government for extending its term of office,; he then condemned commissions, saying that the Government should think for, itself. He expressed the opinion that Homa and foreign trade depends on the buying power of the people of _ the dominion, and that the only rational way of improving conditions was to determine the quantity of produce required* and pay the producer a price to cover all costs. “ The farmer must receive in purchasing power the value of the ‘goods produced.” He did not favour trade with the East to the detriment of the Home country. There could' be no one-way trade, and the purchasing of Japanese goods at low prices might have a disastrous effect on local industry. He did not favour; helping individual industries* but all of them. , He advocated a banking system which would provide a national service for the common good. Labour would strengthen the Education Department* and would promote a superannuation fund sufficient to provide a high staljp dard of living for all people sixty yearj. of age, together with those who* through disability, were unable to provide for themselves. To do this, Labour would bring in a completely coordinated system based on universal insurance.

Dealing with unemployment, Mr Savage held that this was due to improved methods of/production, plus lack of purchasing power, and should bo met by reduced working hours‘and increased purchasing power for the people. Land settlement would # be part of Labour’s plan for its alleviation, but it would be useless unless those already on the land were made secure. If this were not done, it would he useless to try to establish others. To do all this there must be complete control of the monetary system, and a proper planning of production. Labour would give a guarantee that this could and would be done. At the close of the address there was loud applause, and the following resolution was carried:—“ That this meeting of citizens heartily thanks Mr Savage, the Leader of the Opposition, for his clear and convincing exposition or the Labour Party’s constructive policy,, and expresses confidence in the ability of/the partv and Mr Savage as its leader, to remove the causes of the economic depression in New Zealand and restore prosperity to the people ; and, further, it demands that dissolution of Parliament should he granted not later than at the end of the three years'i period for which it was elected.”