NO TIME FOR TALK

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20950, 1 November 1939, Page 6

NO TIME FOR TALK

FARM LABOUR PROBLEM UNION OFFICIAL’S OUTBURST HON. ADAM HAMILTON’S REPLY

“There is a shortage of experienced farm labour and tnis is being intensified by the present war emergency since hundreds of men from farms have enlisted and been called up, as have representatives of all sections of the community,” said the Hon. Adam Hamilton, Leader of the Opposition, speaking to members of the party in Hamilton last night. “This shortage of necessary labour in the avenue of production, from which a great contribution is expected to be made to Britain’s war effort, must be faced immediately. “There are two recent developments having a bearing on this question which deserve attention,” Mr Hamilton said. “The first is the recent

increase of the rate of pay to public works men, which has merely made the unproductive work much more attractive than the productive work and thrown our system still further out of gear. The second is the remarkable statement issued last week by Mr Arthur Cook, the principal official controlling the New Zealand Workers’ Union. Threats To Farmers “Mr Cook apparently has the privilege of using me official organ of the Labour Party to dictate to and threaten the farmers who, he admits, are in labour difficulties, and is able to do this when me country is in the first throes of a life and death struggle,” continued the speaker. “Mr Cook says:—’Until such time as the Farmer*’ Union representatives are prepared to meet the Workers’ Union representatives and discuss better conditions for farm and station workers, mere is going to be a definite shortage of this class of labour. As a matter of fact the New Zealand Workers' Union distinctly refuses to advise men to engage in land work until something oetter is provided for them.’ “He adds,” said Mr Hamilton:

“ ‘From now on me difficulties of the farmers in getting labour will be in-

vails. . . The war makes it necessary for industry to be carried on with me least possible friction. That, however, is not possible in the farming industry under the prevailing conditions offering to workers.’ “This is the same Mr Cook,” the speaker continued, “who wrote in the official organ of the Labour Party on October S as follows:

“ ’The flower of the world’s manhood is preparing to become cannonfodder m order that the tottering system of capitalism may have a further lease of life. Blame Hitler, blame Chamberlain, blame anyone you like for the present conflict; the grim fact remains that the system under which we live is solely responsible—the system of greed, and fear, the system that allows a few to dictate to the masses.’ Explanation Warranted ‘The irony of that particularly strange outburst is that Mr Cook is one who, to use his own apt phrase, ‘is one of the few who dictate to the masses,’ ” stated Mr Hamilton. “I say that this is not the time for that class of talk. It is his Government that declared New Zealand at war with Germany. We have got to get co-operation and production. The time for talking about the problems is passed. The comment to which I draw public attention is, I think, extremely serious, coming from a responsible official who is one of the Government’s closest advisors and directors, when farming and other matters of production are under review. It warrants an official explanation. This is not the time for bullying and I do not think that the farmers or any other section of the community is prepared to tolerate it."