LABOUR PROMISES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 194, 17 August 1936, Page 7

LABOUR PROMISES.

MR. NASH EXPLAINS, CITIZENS' QUESTIONNAIRE. NO SUBVERSIVE INFLUENCE, The Chamber of Commerce Hall wag packed to the doors on Saturday night when the Minister of Finance, the Hon, Walter Nash, met several speakers representative of various sections of the community in a discussion in which it was contended the Labour Government had not carried out its pre-election promises. Admission was By invitation, and at the outset the chairman, the Rev, A. J. Greenwood, stated that the meeting was not open to the Press, that it was a private discussion, and that an undertaking had been given to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M- J, Savage, that it would not be given publicity in the Press. 011 the platform in addition to the chairman, were the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, the Hon. H. G. R, Mason, Minister of Justice. Mr. A. S, Richards, member for Roskill, the Rev, W. W. Averill, and Messrs. E. C. Beckerleg, A. E. Robinson, and W. B. Darlow. "Not Hostile to Government." At the outset the chairman emphasised that in 110 way was the meeting to be regarded as hostile to th? Government. Its purpose was to do everything possible to assist the Government, but it was anxious to know why certain election promises had not been implemented. The chairman made it clear that Mr. Nash had wired from Wellington on Friday welcoming publicity, but the committee responsible for inviting the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to Auckland had already stated that the discussion would be purely a private one. Mr. Greenwood said there would be several speakers and questions would not be allowed. The committee had drawn up a questionnaire which had been forwarded to both Air. Savage and Mr. Nash, and it was this questionnaire that Mr. Nash would reply to. The questions were:— Is there any subversive influence preventing the 'Government from implementing its promises? Why has taxation been increased? Why has the promise made to supply the Dominion with debt-free money not been fulfilled? Why has public borrowing not been discontinued'! Why lias the Budget been based entirely on taxation ? Why has the sales tax not been abolished ? Why have prices been allowed to rise ? Minister Replies. To all these questions Mr. Xash replied almost without interruption. He traversed the achievements of the Labour Government during the eight months it had been in office, and expressed the opinion that no Government, in any part of the world had evc;r accomplished so much for the people in such a short period. He outlined certain big proposals which were under consideration, and said that the Govern- ■ ment would make New Zealand a better ' country for everybody. He stated 1 emphatically that "there was .no subversive influence preventing the Government from carrying out its election ; promises. The promises were being ' carried out, but everything could not be accomplished in the short space of 1 months. He also said that he did not ' know what debt-free money was. The Government was travelling along what 1 it considered the right road, but if any--1 one could show that it was the wrong road and the right road was elsewhere then the Government would make a detour and travel the right one. After the Minister had dealt with the questionnaire replies were made by the Rev. W. W. Averill, Mr. A. E. Robinson, Mr. E. C. Beckerleg and Mr. W. B. Darlow. v A vote of thanks was carried to the ; Minister, also to the chairman, by > acclamation.