NATIONAL PARTY AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 August 1938, Page 9

NATIONAL PARTY AIMS

OBSERVATIONS BY DIVISIONAL SECRETARY WIPING OUT COMPULSORY UNIONISM. ATTACK ON THE LABOUR ADMINISTRATION. “The first thing that the National Party will do towards the end of next January will be to wipe out compulsory unionism and take the unemployment tax off women,” declared Mr Justin M. Power, Wellington Divisional Secretary of the National Party in an address to a packed hall in Greytown last night. Mr Power criticised the policy and the administration of the Labour Government and said in part: “The present socialistic Government does not need to introduce one further Act to completely socialise New Zealand.

“It is a pleasure to face an audience without need of an introduction,” observed Mr Power amidst laughter, “as I rather fancy I was introduced to you last Sunday night, but it is a pleasure to have it done again under much more pleasant circumstances. “The only difference between a socialist and a communist is that a communist has the courage of his convictions,” continued Mr Power. Labour was running away from socialism at the present time in view of the approaching election. If Labour were returned there was a definite danger of an industrial Parliament being established. After quoting references made to industrial Parliaments by the' Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives, Mr E. J. Howard, Mr Power added: “And then there is the one and only incomparable James Roberts. He is virtually the Prime Minister of New Zealand today. He has the power, if he wished to use it, to practically strangle trade and industry in the Dominion. He is president of the New Zealand Watersiders’ Federation, president of the Labour Party and-now he has been made national secretary of the Harbour Boards’ Employees’ Association. Parliament is no longer situated on the hill where it has been through the,years, but is located in the Trade’s Hall in Vivian Street. All the remits brought down and adopted at the annual conference of the Labour Party eventually find their way on to the Statute Book.” The Government “sold” the farmer on the guaranteed price question, continued Mr Power. “It used to be a fixed price,” he said, “but it is not even that now because the Minister of Marketing can alter the price tonight without reference to anyone. It is a commandeer price and not a guaranteed price and literally reduces the farmer to the status of a civil servant.”

“Beware of your land titles,” added Mr Power. “I do not suggest that Labour will come along and steal your land or drive you off it. No, they will come and make a Government valuation of it in anticipation—false anticipation—of being returned to power when they will come and take your land, at Government valuation, paying for it not in cash but in bonds.” Dealing with the proposed payment of a bonus to farmers from any surplus in the Dairy Account, Mr Power said: “If they come round with a fat cheque take it because it is your own money.” (A voice: “Too right!”) Compulsory unionism and national superannuation, continued Mr Power, were the political ropes with which the Labour Government was going to hang itself. While favouring unions, he' considered it repugnant to be driven into unions by law. There was only one union they could not join and that was the Watersiders’ Union, which was harder to get into than the Royal Yacht Squadron. Compulsory unionism was one of the most ghastly pieces of legislation ever enacted and was one of the most horrible things ever inflicted on persons in the British Empire (Applause). It was definitely repugnant- for people to be forced to contribute to party fighting funds. The much vaunted superannuation was a misuse of terminology. The Government’s proposals in that direction were nothing more or less than an extension of the old age pensions scheme. The proposed scheme would help the shirker and not the worker and would turn the willing worker into a jibber and would encourage him, to become one.

In spite of its many promises prior to last election the Government had not solved the unemployment problem by any means. It was paying men £4 a week out of taxation for work that was not benefiting the Government or the country, but only private institutions. Farmers were being strangled for want of labour on their farms as the result of the high wages on public works jobs. Dealing with attacks by Labour on the Press of the Dominion, Mr Power said: “In my opinion we have the cleanest and straightest Press you could find anywhere in the world.” '