Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1939. MINISTERS’ COMPLAINTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 28, 13 November 1939, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1939. MINISTERS’ COMPLAINTS.

Two Cabinet Ministers have expressed indignation that the country as a whole is not prepared to accept the Labour policy without question. Mr Savage imputes political bias to Mr Mulholland because he voiced the mistrust that is rife among farmers regarding the Government s intentions in connection with the primary industry. He forgets, or conveniently overlooks, the fact that his words would naturally be judged in the light of the record of the Administration during the last four years. That record has been one of consistent advance toward the socialisation that been the main plank °f Labour policy for many years. Therefore, when the Prime Minister said that in certain eventualities the Government would have to “find other means of doing the job,” the natural inieience was that State control was intended. Now Mr Savage explains that “if it is found necessary the Government may be forced to Use its own resources to supnlement the efforts or the farmers. If he meant that, why did he not say so in the first place instead of using vague terms. The only excuse possible is that Mr Savage is given to vagueness in his announcements a serious fault when the speaker is the head of the Government. The other Minister moved to indignation is Mr Nash, who complains that the Opposition is not fulfilling its promise to co-operate with the Government in its war effort. Mr Nash s complaint is based on the fact that there was candid criticism of the action of the Government in seizing the war conditions as an opportunity for advancing its political aims. But if Mr Nash wants co-operation to the limit, without thought of the ultimate outcome, why does he not take a stand against the attitude adopted by Mr Arthur Cook (Secretary of the New Zealand Workers Union), who recently said that until such time as the farmers are prepared to “discuss better conditions for farm and station workers, there is going to be a definite shortage of this class of labour.” He even added that his union “distinctly refuses to advise men to engage in land work until something better is provided for them. Surely Mr Nash does not rate the intelligence of the people so low that he thinks they will complacently accept a position in which one side is expected to give all while the other can withhold its share in the bargain.