THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY MARCH 12, 1927. A PARTY THAT FINDS FAULT.
A statement issued by the New Zealand Labour Party condemns root and Branch the measures by which the Government proposes to relieve unemployment, and incidentally asserts that the policy pursued by the Government in the past has created the unemployment problem. As usual, the Labour Party complains that the wages to be paid on relief works are much too low. This sort of thing of course is expect* cd from the Labour Party, but it is interesting to find that in its latest tirade of fault-finding this party names as one of the conditions that are needed to enable the Dominion to absorb a big-
ger pojJulatioß “a, land settlement policy that will enable those already here to take up land under conditions that will enable them to profitably work the soil.”
Men of all parties, and not least struggling farmers, will readily agree that such a land settlement policy is greatly to be desired. But is there anyone in New Zealand foolish enough to believe that the Labour Party is willing to promote or support a policy of this kind? Labour’s land policy is the notorious 11 usehold”—th® policy under which no one would be allowed to sell land except to the State, at a State valuation. The first condition of the profitable working of tho soil is that men who take up land should have security of tenure, and a reasonable assurance of getting a return from what they pat into the land. The Labour Party’s policy would at a stroke destroy security of tenure. Then again, the farmers of the Dominion have at times suffered heavy loss as a result of different groups of workers resorting to li direct action” in support of claims and demands. Was the Labour Party ever known to lift its voice against this lawless action? On the contrary, its members have at times applauded the law-breakers, notably on the occasion of the attempted shipping hold-up >3 1925.
7 t is, of course, easy for the Labour Party or anyone else to find fault with the measures that arc being taken for the relief of unemployment. The conditions as to wages rates and in other respects in which work is to be provided for those who cannot find it for themselves aro very far from being ideal. Relief works cannot, in the nature of things, present ideal conditions. They represent a rough and ready attempt to tide over an. emergency, and the sooner they can be dispensed with the better it will be for all concerned. If there is ono thing more certain than another, however, it is that there would have been less unemployment in this country had tho Labour Party set its face against tactics which upset industrial stability and react, sooner or later, on the workers who are deluded into adopting them.
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Wairarapa Age, 12 March 1927, Page 4
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486THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY MARCH 12, 1927. A PARTY THAT FINDS FAULT. Wairarapa Age, 12 March 1927, Page 4
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