GOVERNMENT CRITICISED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 384, 19 June 1928, Page 14

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED

METHODS OF FINANCE MR. SAVAGE AT PAPATOETOE Criticism of the Government provided Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P. for Auckland West, with material for a vigorous political address in support of Labour in the Hauraki electorate, in the Papatoetoe Town Hall last evening. Mr. A. W. Plall, chairman of the Papatoetoe Town Board, introduced the speaker. Mr. Savage was accorded an attentive hearing and at the conclusion, the meeting unanimously expressed thanks to him for his address. The speaker stated that he had been a member of Parliament for nine years, and from his experience he had a good opportunity of sizing up the state of affairs. He said that when it came to a vote of no-confidence in the present Government, Labour stood alone, all the other parties found their way into the Government lobby, and a majority of 28, over all other parties, did not tend to good government. Severe criticism was levelled at statements recently made by the Hon. Downie Stewart, Minister of Finance, while speaking at Dunedin, Feilding, and Cambridge, when he stated that they were reducing the dead weight of the public debt. DEBT BURDEN Professor Murphy was quoted in saying that the only reduction which can be countenanced is nett reduction, and no debt had been paid off during the past six years, in fact, the public debt had been increased during that period. When the Reform Government came into power in 1912, the public debt stood at £84,000,000, and to-day it had increased to £251,000,000, which showed an average increase of £ 5,250,000 per year of the Reform Government’s 16 years in office. In 1931, the sum of £87,000,000 will fall due, and have to be paid or renewed, and as there is no possible chance of paying it. the speaker expressed the opinion that it will not be renewed at asMow a rate as paid at present. Mr. Savage blamed the Government for its actions in the interests of the banking institutions, and gave a chronological table of events which, he contended, had resulted in the raising of the bank rate of interest. Mr. Savage, in referring to the increased hospital levy, as a member of the Auckland Hospital Board, made no apologies whatsoever. He voted in favour of the increased levy. This he considered a necessity, and laid the blame on the bad legislation of the Government. He stated it was useless throwing bricks at the Hospital Board; they should go farther, and throw them at the Government. UNEMPLOYMENT In 1926 legislation was passed, to allow local bodies to raise money, to relieve unemployment, without going to the ratepayers; this he. considered was putting the responsibility on the local bodies. It was '.iaimed that industries should carry the whole of the population, otherwise some national scheme should be instituted for helping unemployment, and the Labour Party recommended a national unemployment insurance scheme. In referring to a passage in a booklet, issued by the Government Publicity Department, for distribution in England, stating that "large areas of Crown land suitably subdivided and roaded, are always available for selection by intending selectors,” Mr. Savage stated that if this was not in the booklet he would donate £lO to the Auckland Hospital, and after a pause, stated he would also donate £2O to the same institute if anyone could point out the areas referred to. In cx*iticising the Government’s land policy, it was said that in the last four years, 13.500 people had come off the land into the cities. The Labour Party had no idea of destroying the freehold tenure of any land held.