LABOUR OBJECTIVES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 July 1938, Page 6

LABOUR OBJECTIVES

CHANGES IN ECONOMIC LIFE MR J. ROBERTSON ADDRESSES ELECTORS Mr J. Robertson, M.P., addressed a well attended meeting at the Solway School last night. Mr C. C. McLauch- [. lan presided. At the conclusion of s the meeting, a vote of thanks, and con- . fidence in Mr Robertson as member for Masterton was carried by acclamation. Mr Robertson said he wished to keep g in close touch with the people in the electorate, to be able to explain the ’ changes in the economic and social j life of the community that were being brought about by” the Labour Government, and to clear up any misapprehensions that might exist. The Labour ’ Party had gone to the country in November, 1935, with a definite object in view—“to restore a decent living ' standard to those who had been de- ' prived of the essentials for the past ' five years, to organise an internal economy that will distribute the production and services in a way that will guarantee to every person able and willing to work an income sufficient to provide him and his dependants with everything necessary to make a ‘home’ and ‘home life’ in the best . sense of the meaning of those terms, . and to provide guaranteed prices tc farmers for -the supply of primary products sufficient to satisfy the intern- ■ al and external requirements of the Dominion?’ The proposals for carrying this into effect were contained in a policy of 12 points, 11 of which had already been given effect to. The social security proposals which would be considered by Parliament this session would complete the programme. The production of any country, said Mr Robertson, should be the determining factor in fixing the . standard of living of the people, and production per head of population in New Zealand was the highest in the world. For any country to be really prosperous the production must be' ! utilised to supply the needs of the people. Increased income from exports did not necessarily mean prosperity for the people, and would not mean prosperity if the income was badly distributed. It had been repeatedly stated by the opponents of Labour that the increased cost of living had cancelled out the benefits of higher wages, yet deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank in the Masterton Electorate alone had increased during the last three years by £lBB,OOO. During 1933 at the Post Office Savings Banks at Masterton and Eketahuna withdrawals had exceeded deposits by £28,139. For the year ended June, 1938, deposits had exceeded withdrawals by £61,746. The Government, said Mr Robertson, had been accused of destroying thrift, but one of their first acts had been to abolish the property qualification for old age pensions. Income was now the only qualification. Under the proposed social security scheme, a retiring couple could own their own home and have £5OO each invested, and still be entitled to tlanefit under the scheme. In the Masterton Electorate old age pensions had increased by 537 and in addition 320 invalidity pensions had been granted. It had been stated, said Mr Robertson, that the increase of wages was making it impossible for private enterprise to carry on, yet profits from industry showed a large increase. In many cases the percentage of wages to the total value of production had decreased. This was very noticeable in the meat freezing and dairy industries. In the freezing industry in 1929-30, wages were £1,571,000 or 10.2 per ceni of the total value of production; in 1932-33, wages were £1,549,000 or 13.4 per cent of the total value of production; and in 1936-37, wages were £l,865,000 or 8.9 per cent of the total value of production. In the dairy industry, said Mr Robertson, for every £lOO received by a dairy company in 1932, £4.87 was paid in wages, and £76 jn payout to the farmer, while in 1936-37, ,£3.84 was paid in wages and 86.38 in payout to the farmer. Mr Robertson.,said that although they were enjoying prosperity all the signs of wild speculation and boom were missing.