LABOUR’S TERMS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1930, Page 7

LABOUR’S TERMS

LEGISLATION TO BE DEAIANDED.

STATEMENT BY AIR. P. FRASER

WELLINGTON, April 2

A clear statement of the attitude the Ldbour Party will adopt towards the Government during the coming session of Parliament, and of the conditions on which it will continue to keep the United Party in office, was made by Mr P. Fraser, member for Wellington Central, in the course of a review of the political situation last night. Mr Fraser opened with the remark that the political situation to-day was most uncertain, and that anything might happen when Parliament met next session. Whether the Reform Party would support a no-con-fidence motion moved by Mr Holland was a matter of conjecture. It seemed clear last session that Reform would not support Labour in such a circumstance. Air Fraser said there was no biding the fact that the vast majority of the electors of the Dominion were disappointed with the United Government up to the present. At the last General Election the United Party had put forward a. most alluring programme, but so far the Government had not given much sign of giving effect to it. “Parliament will meet next June,” said Air Fraser, “and if the Government will say quite definitely that it is prepared to deal with some of the important and pressing social ovils of the day, and bring down - effective remedies for those problems; if it agrees that relief conditions which break down awards and industrial agreements will be abolished on public works; if it promises that a muchneeded and long-ovtirdue Workers’ Compensation Act will he brought down : if it will agree that the Pensions Act and the Family Allowances Act should be improved and strengthened and made more beneficial to the people; and, finally, if it agrees to abolish compulsory military training, as it is indicated it intends to do, then 1 for one would say it would he quite a sensible policy on the part of the Labour Party to keep the Government in office so that it could give effect ,to those undertakings.” Mr Fraser said the Labour Party might have to consider in the course of the session whether it was worth while keeping the Government in office any longer. If Labour moved a vote of no-confidence, and Reform mem Kirs and a sufficient number of Independents supported it, it was quite possible that Labour would be sent for to form a Government. Air Fraser gave the assurance that Labour would not hesitate for a moment in such an event. At the same time, if the Government rvas prepared to bring down substantial legislation toi relieve the 'masses of the people, the Labour Party would consider giving it the same measure of support during the coming session as it had done last session,

“What would foe the attitude of the Labour Party to suggestions for fusion between Labour and United?” was a question put to Mr Fraser at the close of his address. Mr Fraser said he could not 'pnssiblv imagine circumstances arising ■which jw'ould jusify fusion bettween Labour and United, at any rate from Hie Labour point of view. He felt sure the United Party would be just ns emphatic. “I am quite certain,” he said, “that they would not want t 0 have anything to do with us whatever.” On the other hand, there was no essential difference between the Reform and United Parties, and it was tfcie natural thing that those two Parties should come together. Tn conclusion Mr Fraser summed up the position as between Labour and tho Government bv stating that if they could get good legislation by keeping the United Party in office, they would support the Government. Tf they could make use of any other Party in a similar way they would do so.