‘‘LOATHED CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM.”

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1923, Page 1

‘‘LOATHED CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM.”

.Members ol' i h<- Labour Parly clashed sovcrely willi lilt* lion C. .1. Parr, Minister of Rducalion, in the Mouse of Ho|nvsem.*.itivcs on Wednesday afternoon, v.'lion the Minister ventured (o expose the weaknesses of what he railed "their amiable theories." The provoeation came from Mr J. \V. Monro (Dunedin Xorth) who railed tin* Hint got a fairy-lale, and deelared tin'll (he Reform Party fished the people to deride lief ween the TTiion .Tack and the rod flat;', whereas the real fight "as not one of lines, Init whether «e should worship Pod nr Mammon. -Mr Parr delivered a -tinging answer to this criticism, and f.ahonr members were so slrone.lv tempted to interrupt him that Mr Speaker held tip the proceedings to warn them. Mr Parr demanded that Labour crilics should ■■‘come down in tin-taehs, and got out of the floods.'' Their theories, he deelared, were most amiable. hot how were they to l.e neeolnplishod - lie would admit that the eapit a list ie .system had its evils, and there wore evils altaehed to every other syslein. Hot did his (lilies mean to toll the House that the lot of the under-dog had not been immensely improved during the last 111 years? A Labour member: “No.”

Mr Parr, in answer, spoke of the rendition of the edoeation of the workers *lO years ago, and the absolute lark of sanitation where the working man lived, ft was idle, he suggested, to deny that there had heen an immense improvement under this lout lied capitalistic system, and he believed t.hitt it could ho evolved and improved .stop by step until it would lit tin* needs of even the humblest worker. Mr Monro: "Xo." Mr Parr: "AVliat would you put in its place?" -Mr Monro: "Something better than Mr Speaker: ••Orderl" The Minister went on to suggest that the alternative was the socialisation ol the means of production, distribution, and exchange, but it was folly to think that mankind was going to be saved by the socialisation of the world. "I believe, in time," he continued. "that my friends of the Labour Party will be on these benches.'’ Mr K. d. Howard (Christchurch South) : "AVe'll he there very soon." XL- Parr: ".Hut you will never gel here until you mend your ways.” Mr R. M'Keeii fWcllingtuit South): "Wo are coming." Mr Speaker cheeked the free flow of Labour comment by reminding the House that the previous speaker euioyed an uninterrupted hearing. and that there were furl her opportunities for those who differed from the .Minister. He could not allow interruptions. Mr Parr concluded his provocative remarks with the declaration that the Labour Party would never govern until it tore up it- Socialistic flag, because the working people were not foolish enough to believe that socialisation of everything could he actually put into practice.