MR HENRY HOLLAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 April 1926, Page 8

MR HENRY HOLLAND.

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA. During the two months which ho spent m Australia,- the Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland), who \ returned to Wellington last week, covered a, lot of ground. His observations were mainly political, and tie has returned with many facts and figures which he thinks w.ll be of value to the Labour movement in New Zealand. To a Wellington “Post” reporter Mr ’ ITolinnd' gave an account of ponte of the impressionsform ed by him

during, the trip, The present po itieal position in New South Wales, which- is causing Empire wide interest, was touched upon by Mr Holland. “I was present during some of the debates in the House,” said Mr Holland, “and I was struck by the amount of- latitude allowed members. For instance, an ex-Spcakcr. who now sits on the Opposition benches heatedly referred to a member on the Labour benches, as a man with the face of a chimpanzee w’tli corresponding manners. Expressions for which a me'mber would be called to order in the New Zealand House were allowed to pass without challenge. By the way, the whole of these expressions came from the Opposition benches. The Opposition was stone-walling, and mem bci's on the Labour benches were not taking any part in the debate.’’ “What of the Legislative Council?" the reporter asked. “So far, as the Legislative Council is concerned,” said Mr Holland, “it goe s without saying that on purely constitutional grounds .the Lang Government, must, win : out. It would be unthinkable that any Governor should have the right to disregard the recommendations of the Government of the day. There is no question about tho New South Wales Government having a mandate from the people to aboli: h the Legislative CouncT, because the abolishing of the Council has been either a first or leading plank of every fighting platform of the Lahoin- Party fof the la.-t thirty years or more. I personally sat on a conference over thirty (earswhen Hint item . was placed e ther first or second on the plnl-foym. On every occasion on which a Labour Government has been returned it has been returned on a platform which included the abolition of tlm “Legislative Count!!. Aboliton of the Council, in fact, is an outstanding p’ank in New Zealand:. “Over and over again in the ltistorv of New South Wa'e-s the Legislative • Council has been flooded w.th Government nominees for the purpose of assuring the Government of the day a majority in the Council. Of course, the Legislative Council —although it isthe principal matter—-is not the only matter round which vcy keen conflict is being waged in Now South Wales. Among the outsanding features of the Lang Govcnunont’s legislation is Mr Haddolpv’s Workers’ Compensation" Bill, which' contains some features, witch, if-.carried into effect, will give the world a lead in the matter of workers’ compensation. Another piece of legislation is tjrat in respect of widows' pensions, and that also contains certain features which are a long wav ahead of even the New Zealand legislation. There are also a number of other matters of smal'er im-port-anco which will n'=o he keenly contested in the Council.” Questioned regarding the Premier ol New South Wales, Mr Holland said: “Lang 1 knew personally in the old days when ho was quite n- young man in the Labour movement. Ho is un-

doubted'y a man of outstanding personality. and one who is capable, of seeing a job through when he undertakes it. He is very popular in the State.” Replying to another cpiest on, Mr Holland said that it was -safe to _say that there was no general movement, in New South Wales for an election. “It would be an absurdity,” remarked the Labour Leader, ‘to go tp the people oil an item on which the Government was elected. Referring to State enterprises,- Mr Holland said that while he was in New South Wales lie had an opportunity of seeing a. number of the State industries. “The principal of these.” said Mr Holland, “is the State brick

works, which, while rcdue.ng very considerably the price of the bricks, has returned a, huge profit to the State. The State Alonior Pine AYorks is another industry that lias been worked with great economic advantage to the State. In the beguiling the establishment of these Industrie'' was fought very strenuously from the opposition benches.” The fortv-four-hour week added Mr Holland had had no detrimental effect, and was not, likely to have, for the simple reason that a large number of the industries were already working the forty-four hoar week, just as they-were in New Zealand at tho present time. “In South Australia.” continued Afr

Holland, “we found Hie Labour Goveminent rcmnrkab'y popnlnV with tho people. Tho Premier (Mr Gunn) was an old associate of mine. Ho is quite a young mail, and he and h|s Government are steadily putting into effect the principles of the platform on which they were elected. One of the main achievements >.s what is known ns the

‘Thousand 'Homes Scheme.’ They have fourteen nr fifteen different, designs ot brick dwellings, with adequate sections. The bouses they are building have all conveniences, and ail the condit’ons to make for town-planning and for a garden city. The approximate cost is about ~-£720. The occupier pays £25

down, and his payment per week works out at 17s 3d. Tho same residences could not possibly be pot,, in Wollngton under from 35s to £2 10s tier week. The major number of the houses are being birlt on a portion of Adelaide (that, is most beautifully situated just at tile foot of the hills, and in almost every case each house has beautiful flower gardens. In many cases there are fruit trees ami grape vines in tho backyards. The houses are let on the

principle that the applicant with the largest number of children recevos preference. Generally speaking, the people put into these houses were drawn from tlie worst parte of the city from a dwelling viewpoint, and one can imagine tile effect on children of tho change from a bad environment to an I env.roinnent of beauty. In my opin- I ion, ii the Gunn Government had done | | nothing else blit adopt the ‘Thousand' [ Homes Scheme’ it would have justified Jits existence. i .Speaking of his visit to Queensland, MV Holland su'd that bo had met the Premier (Air Al’Cormaek) and the cxPremier (Air Theodore). “Just while I was there,” he said, “the announcement was made public that the elections would take place on Bth Alay. Tho Queensland Government seems to me to b 0 exceptionally popular,_ and I have no doubt that the result o! tho elections will be to continue the life of the Government.

“Queensland was drought-.str.eken at the time of irty visit, and things looked very serious for the whole State. Since then, however, heavy rains have fallen over most of the areas. . aiul the next season i.s pretty welt assured. Economic problems in Queensland are much greater than they are in any

other State, and immensely greater than in New Zealand by reason of tho

fact that with a population of only two-thirds of New Zealand they' have an area something, dike six times as big. Their railroad and roadng problems are .proportionately . great. Notwithstanding' that they have been able to avoid increased frdightsi and charges generally,, so far as -the drailways are concerned."'lt is'true'that; the Queensland railways have over a long period not only under this GQovernment, but under other Governments, shown heavy losses, but it is pointed out, particularly by Mr. Theodore, that.if the Queensland Government had made the same increases in'railway freights and other railway charges ns have been made in other Australian States and New Zealand, they could easily have- shown a substantial profit. They contended, however, that the purpose of. a railway system is practically the same as a public toad-—to function as a public utility to enable the community to get its good s to the market. This, lias always been my own contention'with respect to the Railways of New Zealand and Australia.” ' ■ . .

'..Mr Holland was- finally questioned regarding tlie-'outlook for Labour in Victoria. “.When T was in Victoria,” said Mr Holland, “there .was a serious rf>w proceeding in the ranks, of ' the Government' Party!-•"Tho Labour -Party, is not in a very large; minority, and personally I think if it, were to nnpeal to ; the electors within la reasonable time that the Labour Party would come back as the Government, as the nrnsent composite'Government has failed. That would complete tlm chain of State Labour Go-ernmont.”