LABOUR UNITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 April 1939, Page 5

LABOUR UNITY

NO GRAVE DIFFERENCES IN PARTY ACCORDING TO NATIONAL PRESIDENT. ALL AGREED IN SUPPORTING GOVERNMENT. ! (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. It had been said there were grave differences in the Labour Party, but he had not seen them, said the national president of the New Zealand Labour Party, Mr James Roberts, in his address at the opening of the party’s annual conference in Wellington yesterday. There were differences of opinion in every organisation, but they were usually on non-essentials, he said. There might be differences of opinion in the conference, but there would be no difference whatever when it came to standing behind Mr Savage and his Government.

The enthusiastic support received by Mr Savage during the election was due to the lifting of New Zealand out of the morass of economic depression, and making it and its people the most happy and prosperous in the world, said Mr Roberts. “We have passed through a year of intense activity within the Labour arganisation, a year in which every many and woman connected with it has played his or her part ,and of the results of this activity, we can all be proud,” he continued. “A mandate to proceed with the policy of Labour we know will mean economic security, better’ living standards for the people, and a greater measure of general prosperity.” GREAT DEAL LEARNED.

Referring to the 1938 election campaign, Mr Roberts said that all had learned a great deal during the last 12 months. The conference had a duty to perform to prepare for the next general election, and see to it that they could give a definite reply to attacks on the Labour Party.

If there were any who thought the policy of the Government was not being implemented, he asked them to compare the conditions of the people today with those of 1933, 1934 and 1935, to study the unemployment figures, the buying power, and the happiness and prosperity of the people. An economic transformation must be admitted. There was never a Government in any part of the world which accomplished so much by way of social legislation during the comparatively short period. Legislation providing for social security was enacted last session. It would remain a monument to Mr Savage and his Government. Mr Roberts said that the opponents of Labour did not relish its victory, and were doing all they could to embarrass the Government in its administration. With the election of a Labour Government, people, and particularly trade unionists, had added responsibilities. for the standard of life largely depended on those who produced goods and rendered service. PRODUCTION AND SERVICE. “May 1 remind the delegates that .we can only obtain a standard of living in ratio to our own productive capacity and our own ability to render service,” said Mr Roberts. "Despite what may be said to the contrary by those who talk glibly of trade, we cannot get our standard of living from the people of another nation. We have, therefore, to produce it ourselves, and I have no doubt that if the wage and salaried workers of New Zealand are allowed access to our natural resources and agencies of production, we can produce the goods in abundance required by the people of the nation, and give to them the services that they require.

“Those gloomy prophets who said two or three years ago that the Labour Government could not carry on are still with us. Despite that fact, the Government is carrying on, and the. people of New Zealand are more prosperous and hanny todav that at any time in its history. We must give the lie to these gloomy prophets. We have demonstrated that Labour can govern efficiently, and we must show that the workers in industry have the initiative and ability to maintain high living standards for the people of the Dominion.” INTERNATIONAL AGGRESSION. Turning to the international situation, Mr Roberts 'said that everyone i realised how serious it was. “We have (are trampling on the rights of neighand trampling on ths rights of neigh-

bouring States, who are utilising power politics to enforce their will on the peoples of other countries,” said Mr Roberts. “I know there is not one person present who would not desire to live in peace with the people of the world. “Democracy has been challenged. The rights and liberties of the people have been taken away, and in our deliberations we should always give some consideration to what is happening in European countries. The Labour Party is essentially democratic, and the fight for democratic institutions and freedom of expression has brought us to where we are today. "We cannot forgo those rights now, and I know the people of New Zealand will defend their rights and liberties if called upon to do so.” “We have won the government of. a country we have shown that Labour can rule, and rule efficiently. We have brought prosperity to the overwhelming majority of the people of New Zealand. We have ensured a standard of livihg to every citizen. That is the best demonstration of our ability to govern. There can be no turning back.”