EX-LABOUR LEADER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 848, 17 December 1929, Page 10

EX-LABOUR LEADER

“AUSTRALIA WILL RECOVER” HON, J. C. WATSON’S VIEWS Australia's first Labour Prime Minister, the Hon. J. C. Watson, arrived in Auckland this morning by the Marama on a holiday visit. . LTHOUGH he became famous as a Labour leader in Australia and kept the party together for many years, he has now retired from politics. Mr. Watson might almost describe himself as an internationalist. He was born in Valparaiso. South America. educated in Oamani. .New Zealand, and has lived most of his lite in Australia. At. present Mr. Watson is president of the National Road and Motor Ser : vice of New South Wales, a body which has worked assiduously in giving the State good roads. “There is nothing serious to worry about.” This was Mr. Watson's reply to questions regarding Australia s financial position. Prices are low, he says, and there is a period of depression. However, this will pass, as it is only temporary, and simply in accordance with affairs in other parts of the world. DROP IN PRICES Australia will recover along with the rest of the world's markets. A drop in wool and wheat prices lias made a difference of £15,000,000 to the income of the State of New South Wales. A good deal of the trouble in that State has been caused by the coal strike. Prices have risen and the high price of coal has resulted in a drop in exports because of the increased cost of manufacturing. Regarding the coal strike in New South Wales, Mr. Watson says that much of the trouble has been caused by Communists. He described them as “blind and mad and followers of Russia.” Unfortunately, although they are only a minority, they make themselves felt and heard, while the decent miners remain in the background. “The majority of the miners are good fellows,” said Mr. Watson, "and it is my personal opinion they are tired of the strike.” The Federal Government has smarted sensibly, he continued, and there are good prospects that the Labour Party will remain in power for a number of years. The party is still popular and has not had time to make many enemies. HIGHER TARIFF FAVOURED The majority of Australians are in favour of high tariffs, remarked the visitor. They desire goods to be manufactured in Australia, and he personally agreed with that view. In a few cases the tariffs might be too high, but generally they were not. “We have been pouring money out to the United' States for many years,” continued Mr. Watson, “and it is time we stopped or made them pay on our goods.” Concerning roads in New South Wales, Mr. Watson said that improvements have been going on for a number of years. The National Road and Motor Service Board works in conjunction with local bodies. Finance secured from the motor-tax, and is allotted to the board for road-bunufng, repair and improvement. The money collected is divided into two parts for country and metropolitan areas. The metropolitan money is divided again and half of it is expended on country roads, the contention being that the city men make more use of the country roads. MONEY FOR ROADS For the last four years the board has received a subsidy from the Federal Government, which has made £2,000,000 a year available for 10 years for roadlng. This money is divided between the various States on the basis of area and population. Mr. Watson said that last year £4,000,000 was spent on roads in New South Wales, and excellent work in forming and maintaining the main highways had been done. In the metropolitan area generally, and in some parts of the country, concrete roads had been paid down, and the second-class roads were put down mostly in bitumen or tar-sealing penetration. Their desire was to give all second-class roads a hard sealed surface. ■Mr. Watson, who is accompanied by his wife and family, will spend a holiday touring New Zealand. They will go to Oamaru, where he attended school.