NATIONAL PARTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1943, Page 3

NATIONAL PARTY

CARTERTON BRANCH ANNUAL MEETING ADDRESS BY MR POLSON. MANPOWER & OTHER PROBLEMS. (“Times-Age” Special.) Mr H. J. Bassett presided over a representative attendance at the annual meeting of members of the Carterton branch of the New Zealand National Party, held in the Masonic Hall last evening. The chairman referred to bereavements that had been suffered among members since the last annual meeting was held and as a mark of respect all stood in silence for a brief period. Mr Bassett reported upon the activities of the branch during the past year. Provision was made by the branch, with the assistance of other organisations, for supplying suppers for members of the armed forces and this was greatly appreciated by the men. Thanks were due to the outgoing committee and to Miss O. W. Wolters, secretary, for their work during the year. The balance sheet showed a substantial credit. The election of officers resulted: Chairman, Mr H. J. Bassett; secretary, Miss O. W. Wolters; executive committee, Mrs Hughes, Messrs L. J. Fairbrother, W. C. Deller, L. Knowles, A. M. Broadbent, Mr and Mrs Jas Fisher; auditor, Mr H. M. B. Trapp. A recommendation to the Wairarapa executive to have the membership fee increased was carried unanimously. Mr Bassett introduced the speaker for the evening, Mr W. J. Polson, member for Stratford, who was received with applause. Mr Polson said he had been invited to say a few words to members and he knew all were with him when he said their first duty was the winning of the war. He assured his hearers that the decision to hold a general election was that of the Government and not the policy of the Opposition. The country would be faced with an election at an early date. There were many people who thought the Government was doing a good job as far as the war effort was concerned. But there was a great danger of internal organisations doing the task for them. New Zealand soldiers had done great work in the Middle East and they should give them all the help they required. The Government had kept up a stream of reinforcements, to the detriment of conserving the manpower of the country. Although a certain number of men had been released and returned to farming and other essential occupations, he did not think 28,000 had been so released. New Zealand had 21 per cent of its male population under arms, America 8 per cent and Britain 15 per cent. New Zealand was building up an enormous indebtedness which would run into hundreds of millions of pounds. The Government' listened too much to orders given by another ruling body, which was responsible for the manpower problem of New Zealand today. Absenteeism, said Mr Polson, was shockingly rampant in New Zealand. The 40-hour week was being abused and little or no work was done between Monday and Friday. But when Saturday came it was a real working day. Everyone turned up on that day because all got time and a half up to a certain hour and double pay thereafter. More money was earned this way than in the 40-hdur week. Men in Britain were working 11 hours per day but in New Zealand it was doubtful if they were working anything like 40 hours per week. Referring to the linen flax industry. Mr Polson said 23,000 acres was the original area in view, but the whole thing had been so mismanaged that the Government had cut the acreage down' to 8,000 acres. Every one knew that linen fibre was used in aeroplane wings and for this purpose alone the Government should have maintained the 23,000 acres as originally planned. The pig industry was another which showed the effect of disorganised manpower and the result was that less than half of the pigs were going into the abattoirs. Farmers could not carry on owing to the shortage of labour. The Government was not game to head up to the position because it was ruled by the Trades Hall. Soon they would have State ownership of freezing works and many other industries and electors surely must know what that meant—State ownership of everything. Mr Polson referred to the 15 per cent on wool prices held back from the sheep farmers and went on to state that New Zealand must be more thickly populated or some day they might wake up to the fact that something serious was happening. Many other questions were touched upon by Mr Polson, including that of the Social Security Act, which, he said, his party was not prepared to interfere with except by making improved conditions. A hearty vote of thanks proposed by Mr James Fisher and seconded by Mr A. M. Broadbent was carried by acclamation.