STATEMENT IN BOOK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1938, Page 10

STATEMENT IN BOOK

RESENTMENT EXPRESSED. FAULT FINDERS IN DOMINION. The wish that those newcomers who found fault with the system on which New Zealand’s prosperity had been founded would betake themselves to the countries from which they had come, was expressed by Mrs R. Miller at a well-attended meeting at Alfredton, convened by the local National Party committee. As far as she knew, added Mrs Miller, the countries from which the fault-finders came had not shown any ardent desire to retain their services. As a descendant of pioneers, she strongly resented the insinuations cast on them in the recently-published book by Mr J. A. Lee, said Mrs Miller. She described the hardships suffered by the pioneers and their womenfolk, and the sound basis on which their policy of hard work, thrift and independence had built up New' Zealand. There was a great deal of talk today about classes and masses. For her part she knew of only two classes—those who wanted to work, and those who wanted to dodge work. She met a good many of the latter class at her back door—swaggers, who, in spite of the Government’s declaration that unemployment had ceased, continued to arrive almost as frequently as during the depression. “As for the Government compulsory scheme for State relief, I do not want my sons to look forward to a future of dependence on the State,” Mrs Miller said. “I want them to, be well and strong, to cultivate initiative and independence, as their fathers did before them. I do not want free beds and medicine for them. I want them to pay their own way.”