"LIKE LOCUSTS"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 153, 16 July 1937, Page 15

"LIKE LOCUSTS"

Governmeni "Ealing Up the Prosperous Years" MR. DOIDGE'S CHARGES "The present Government is ldke a swarm of loeufits, eating up the prosperous years," said Mr. F. ' W. Doidget when addressing a meeting held at the Fabian Club, Auckland, under the auspices of the People 's University. There was a large attendanee, which included many Socialists. Mr. C. D. McLean presided. "New Zealand is now in the throea of a great poldtical experiment," continued Mr. Doidge. "We have in power a Government which is committed to a policy of full-blooded Socialism. Socialisation of the meane of production, distribution and exehange is the flrst vdtal plank in the platform to which it is pledged. That means Socialism in its full Marxian meaning. Every piece of legislation already placed upon the Statute Book represents a cog in the Sooialist machine." At the moment, the speaker said, the people scarcely realised the raplditv with which the Socialist State was being created. The country was on a wave of prosperity, due entirely to the increase in our income from overseas, which had risen from £34,000,000 in the worst year of depre§sdon to £60,000,0000 in the present year. What was going to happen when we received a cheek in the world's markets, and the pendulum swung the other way? Taxation would not meet the colossal costs to which a Socialist Government was eommitting us. Already we were taxe'd to the extent of £80,000 per day. When the boom days were over the strueture the Government was creating would crash under its own weight. "Equality of salaries, wages and incomes is oue of the foremost planks >in the poliey to which the Government is committed," said Mr. Doidge. "The rank- and flle of the party are pressing for fulfllment of the pledge. What a problem for the Government. The' waterside workers, for instance, earn up to 6/4 per hour. The average dairy farmer, working 60 hours per week, does not earn more than 1/- per hour. In the equalising proeess is the waterside worker's pay to be reduced to I/- per hour? Obviously the pay of the small dairy farmer can never be brought up to that of the waterside worker. "And members of the Government? Is there a member or a Minister who does not aim to provide himBelf with as large an income as he honestly can? There are several Ministers who are reputed to be moderately wealthy men. Are they, in the equalising proeess, going to forego their fortunes? The people of New Zealand never asked for, and never wanted, a SocialMt Government. The Government now in power is there against the wish of the majority, It was returned on a minority >vote. ' ' Socialisation is based upon the principles of compulsion and regimentatiow. The freedom-lovang people of New Zealand will not tolerate either." Mr. Doidge 's speech was followed by an hour of lively discussion.