LABOUR LEADER

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1931, Page 5

LABOUR LEADER

(By Telegraph —Per Press Association)

AUCKLAND, May 19

Air 11. E. Holland, the Labour Leader, addressed a nieeting of over two thousand people here to-night. His speech following, the: lines of bis southern addresses. Regarding the wheat duties, Mr Holland laid it down a,s t uiuUr.i.enta I that (here should be a lair price to the consumer, a lair return to file working Dinner for his labour, and standard wages and fair conditions to wage workers on the larms where t;L wheat was produced.

.Mr Holland said that .Mr Forbes had endeavoured to cloud over the position the Distributors Ltd., as affecting the price of flour and to put the whole of the onus on t<> the working farmer. It was true that some cases could bjo made out lor a reduction in the wheat duties, but it would be quite possible to reduce them and then, by leaving to Distributors Ltd., a free band, to sue no reduction whatever in the price of bread! He was prepared to say that by dealing with Distributors Ltd., the Government could bring down the price of flour by £2 a ton, Mr Holland said tint them were thousands sellers of wheat, but only one seller of flour. Home time ago ho received information from Gore that the bakers there on February 21, bad declared a reduction in the price of the four-pound loaf from one shilling to f)Jd. That was on a Saturday. On the following Monday. Mr Holland alleged they were notified that it they did not restore the old price, either their flour supplies would he cut off. or they would be charged thirty shillings per ton more,