AUCKLAND COMMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 274, 14 July 1932, Page 5

AUCKLAND COMMENT

(Press. Assil.-

"NOTHING BUT SERFDOM"

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

AUCKLAND, Wednesday. Strong comment on the 4a scheine was made in Auckland this morning, when news was received of the Ma-y-ox* of Eltham's allegations. "These charges made by the Mayor of Eltham are serious, and call for investigation," said Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P. "The charges are certainly ; sulficient to justify an overhaulirig of ; the whole system. Cases have come | under my notice where people in fair ! circximstances have been taking adI vantage of men who are down and | out. They are also taking advantage of the law. The whole thing needs investigating by someone who is not ; interested in the political aspeet." | My executive is fully aware that i there have been abuses by persons i well eapable of paying wages," said | Mr. A. E. Robinson, secretary of the , Auckland branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. "That is not to j say that those persons are making considerable profits, as they may real1 ly be living on capital, bnt they are j certainly not unfinancial. Ther'e are | undoubtedly numerous cases where i rnexx have been discharged and others | taken in under various farm labbxir j schemes." Mr. Robinson descrihed the tenacre scheme as 'nothing but serf* dom." "What is the us^ of putting a man on ten acres of jpi-operty* belonging to a bankrupt fairmer v/ho owns 1000 acres? The teri-acre man v/ill be at tbe beck and cill oi his boss. Once the sustenance money is removed from the ten*. acre man, he will be under the thumb of the boss — he \(rill be a slave. Farmers are no better or so worse than other people."