THREE MAIN OBJECTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 53, 31 January 1938, Page 9

THREE MAIN OBJECTS

SOCIALISED INDUSTRY. HON J. G. COBBE’S WARNING. “We have been informed that the present Government lias three main obI jects, and is now considering the kind | of management to be worked out for socialised industry, the method of superseding private ownership, and the question of land tenure and the organI isation of farming," stated Hon. J. G. Cqbhe, M.P., when speaking at the garden party held near Rongotea on Saturday by supporters of the National Party. “The conflict to-day is between freedom and advanced Socialism,” ho added. “The immediate question is whether the people own the State, or the State owns the people. “The position to-day is very, very serious,” added Mr Cobbe. “The freedom of the people is menaced, their property is menaced, and their children’s right of inheritance is menaced through the Acts of Parliament put through by the Labour Party. Taxation in New Zealand has readied enormous heights. There was the amount Works Estimates, and since then there have been supplementary votes. Direct taxation now amounts to £30,838,000 and unemployment tax of £5,180,000 brings the figure to £35,518,000, or £113,476 for each of the 313 week days in the year., The total value of our exports of meat, wool and sundry lines of those industries is £33,230,425, leaving a shortage of £2,287,575, Taxation, after all, lessens the efficiency of an employer, prevents him from giving the employment lie would otherwise have given, and is national suicide,”

Under the Industrial Efficiency Act, proceeded Mr C'ohbe, a bureau had been set up to deal with practically all forms of industry, including fanning. By notice at any time in the Gazette, an industry might be carried on only pursuant to a license issued under the Act and in conformity with its conditions. When the speaker had pointed out in the House that a man might not bo ablo to start his own son jn a farm unless the officials were satisfied that he had sufficient capital —most farmers had started with ittle and done well—the Minister had oecome indignant, and said it was lever intended to carry that out. The fact remained tha.t he had taken the lecessary power. There was no right if appeal to a Court, but only to the Minister. The validity of an Order-n-Council might not bo questioned on he ground that due consideration had lot been given some aspects of the uibject. . 'The Minister had the right ;o fix everything controlling industry. WIDE POWEIIS TAKEN. The Primary Products Marketing Amendment Act, continued Mr Cobbe, nought within its scope all production, with the right to fix all wholesale ind retail prices. Under Clause 7, by Drder-in-Council, regulations could bo made enabling produce to be taken on die farm at prices to be fixed, and, in the speaker’s opinion, the momentous nature of that moasure had not been realised by the farming commuiity. If any farmer imagined his itock to be his own under that legisation, then the sooner he disabused limself the better. It had been remitted that this Dominion was not tending abroad her full meat quota, ind the Prime Minister had said that f Britain could undertake to make worthwhile arrangements for a good ustained demand New Zealand would nake provision to fulfil the. United Cingdom’s requirements. ' Surely that neant invoking Clause 7. It seemed n intolerable thing that the primary •reduction of farmers should simply •Q at the disposal of the Government it whatever price was fixed. Those tdio thought the speaker was exaggerating the. position should get a sgaj opinion, on the subject. Collective farming, it bad been staed definitely, was part of'tlie Governlient’s polioy, as it believed that the mall farmer was doomed to extinoion, Mr Cobbe asserted. The Government considered that it was necessary to eliminate the rich, and that that could bo done gradually by taxation. Socialism in practice meant rule by the workers, and tho exclusion of the middle and other classes. A Socialist had been w.ell definec| ns a Communist without the courage of his convictions. Mr Cobbe stated that Communistic literature was being issued in New Zealand. Such, in his opinion, was vile, seditious and disloyal. It had been stated by a prominent member of the Labour Party that Now Zealand would never again borrow overseas, and that if the public did not subscribe to conversion tho Government had the power, under the Reserve Bank legislation, to lend the money to themselves. Concluding, Mr Cobbe stated that, there were 9327 persons on the roll in the Manawatu electorate last election, and the successful Labour candidate polled 2958 votes, There were 807 eligible to vote who did not do so. He. hoped that on the next occasion they would do their duty “to every person in' the country who owns a quarter of an acre of land or a business of any kind.” The country needed the loyal support of every man and woman. It would be a terrible tiling if the Russian system of collective farming were applied to New Zoajand. take. Labour’s policy, declared more than once in an unguarded lhomont, was to abolish private ownership. Many forgot that. The principle behind the compensatory price was that the farmer was entitled to receive for his labour and capital an equal re-, ward with other sections of the community. Cheese suppliers last year received £12,000 less than the Government was paid for tlioir cheese. After mooting extra costs, they got nothing out of it but experience. Confusion was one or tho main weapons of the present Government; stated Mr Hamilton. The country had not yet received a final statement of the Dairy Industry Account for last season. He anticipated that there would not be much of a surplus for the butter producers. Concluding, Mr Hamilton said the farmer had to associate with the business world. “With a united front and concentrated effort,” said Mr Hamilton, “we can clean up the Labour Party before the end of the year, and we are going to do it, too.” Taxation, he commented had increased from £17,800,000 in 1928 to £35,500,000 in the last Budget, which included £5,180,000 as the estimate from the unemployment tax. That was imposed to deal with a depression period, and was never intended to be included in the general taxation system, lint it had not been taken off, and the money was being spent. “We know what are the attributes rf the right policy, and we will do ivhat we can for you if you give us the help we need,” added Mr Hamilton, who said he hoped at the next ilection to see National Party candilates returned for the Manawatu, ttangitikei. Wanganui, and Otaki seats. The atmosphere on the East iloast was never better for the party md was good all through the Wtiicato. In the south the National J arty was stronger. The National 3 arty wanted a majority of at least 5 seats to 35 to he held by the Oplosition in the House after next eleeion.