PRIME MINISTER PROTESTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3853, 4 October 1928, Page 3

PRIME MINISTER PROTESTS.

CONCESSIONS GIVEN PUBLIC WORKS MEN. Wellington, October 2. Strong indignation was expressed by the Prime Minister in the House last night, when he protested against the Labour opposition attempting to steal his thunder inf-re-gard to improvements made in the conditions of Public Works employees. “They have received nothing but what they were entitled to,” declared the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Coates: I do like to hear members of the Opposition stealing my thunder. No man has done more for the Public Works employees of this country than I have. Mr. Coates objected to members of the Opposition “meandering along with complaints,” and he protested that they “never came into the hunt until the eleventh hour.” “I have told employees pretty frankly,” Mr Coates added, “that what they have got they have to thank this Government for.” Mr. Parry: You mean to say that the Workers’ Union had nothing to do with it? Mr. Coates: No such thing. What they got they got from us. He deprecated political talk and the work of agitators. Mr. Armstrong: What do you call yourself, anyway?, Mr. Coates: It is the job of the agitator to make all he can out of it. Continuing, the Prime Minister further deprecated the spirit of continued nagging and complaining on the part of union organisers, adding that each of them was only anxious to look after his own job, and not very much concerned with the benefit of the men on the job. Mr. Fraser: Very foolish outburst. Mi’. Coates: I stand by all that I have said. Public Works employees owe more to me than they owe to the Hon. member. Mr. Fraser: I would not talk in that silly way if I were you. Mr. Coates said that he only wanted to state the true facts when such a great song was made about Public Works’ employees, and said that it was enough to make one’s blood boil to listen to the statements that the Government were trying to whittle away the conditions of Public Works employees.