POLITICAL CHANGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1938, Page 9

POLITICAL CHANGE

VIEWS OF THE MEMBER FOR WAIRARAPA SPEECH IN SECONDING ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. “REJUVENATION OF NEW THOUGHT.” By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, This Day. The conflicting claims of private enterprise and State ownership were accepted as the main issue for the coming general election by the member for Wairarapa, Mr B. Roberts, in seconding the Address-in-Reply motion in the House of Representatives last night. The Labour Party, said Mr Roberts, had every reason to feel proud of its achievements. Its administration had done more to extend real loyalty and constitutional democracy than anything, which had occurred in the Dominion for a generation. One of the most hopeful signs was the development of a political consciousness, particularly among young people, and the only barrier to progress and prosperity was provided by static minds which had never felt the rejuvenation of "a new thought. “The Opposition has not yet divulged much of its policy,” Mr Roberts continued, “but its members have started that they stand for private enterprise against socialisation and State control. We are not against private enterprise, but we hold that the progress of the Dominion is of far greater

importance than private profits and private enterprise. As soon as a man marries and sets up a home he becomes a socialist with social responsibilities—that is unless he ends up in the divorce court, which-is often the result of private enterprise. “We will gladly accept the issue of private enterprise against socialisation. The people can choose between Sir Otto Niemeyer, pulling the strings in London, and the Ministerof Finance, carrying out the Government’s~policy

in New Zealand for the benefit of the people.” ONE AGE AND ANOTHER. One factor which the Opposition was inclined to overlook, said Mr Roberts, was that the people who counted most were the consumers. For the past 100 years the world had been through the producers’ age, with every effort strained toward increased production, but now there was a change to the consumers’ age, with the objective of enabling the people to use and consume the goods which they produced. “Behind the Government’s policy is national self-reliance, national stability and national security,” said Mr Roberts. “Every day and every month that this Government is responsible for the administration of the affairs of the country we are moving to greater prosperity and a greater equality of income.” An explanation of the compensated price scheme was sought from the Opposition by Mr Roberts. The Opposition, he said, had adopted the scheme and should explain how it was proposed to administer it. Mr Roberts said that the Waikato Farmers’ Union requested the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, io explain how it was proposed to work the compensated price scheme. Mr only explana-

tion was that he would reduce costs, although he added he would not interfere with the public servants. If he had his way the Leader of the Opposition would restore the old free marketing system, with the result that the vagaries of the market would be intensified. “Stability • and security,” said Mr Roberts, “are the fundamental principles of the guaranteed price scheme introduced by the Government.” THE GUARANTEED PRICE. Members of the Opposition, the chambers of commerce, and the Farmers’ Union were out of touch with every-day realities, said Mr Roberts. These organisations did not represent the people they professed to speak for. The Farmers’ Union had asked the Government to appoint a tribunal to fix the guaranteed price, the Prime Minister ha.d offered such a tribunal, but the National Dairy Conference had preferred that the Government should determine the price. “The Government,” he added, “will not shirk from its responsibility of fixing the price.” The opportunity for the greater development of swine husbandry in the Dominion was referred to by Mr Roberts. The British Government, he said, had given New Zealand a good allocation of bacon, and it was up to farmers to increase theii’ income by diversified farming operations. Mr Roberts thanked the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Wairarapa district, for having rediscovered this potentially wealthy district and for deciding to give easy access by building the Rimutaka tunnel. “This Administration is writing a new chapter in the history' of the Dominion,” he concluded.