LABOUR'S CLAIM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 228, 27 September 1938, Page 12

LABOUR'S CLAIM.

MUCH ACCOMPLISHED

ADDRESS BY MINISTER.

HON. W. B, PARRY'S CAMPAIGN

"No fSovprnment ha«* been more pleased to face the country than the present Government," said the Minister of Internal Affairs and Pensions, the Hon. W. K. Parry, when he opened his campaign for the Auckland Central seat at the Tivoli Theatre last evening. The building was crowded. Mr. C. J. Matthew presided. Mr. Parry said the Labour party had been pledged to do 12 things, and they were aide to say to the people who gave them the mand.tte that they had faithfully carried out the 12 points. Their opponents were making it a fight against Socialism, but that was to conceal n label of Toryism. In 193.~> the Labour party had received the mandate that Seddon received in 1890. (Applause.) Taxation Figures. Tn his following remarks Mr. Parry dealt with taxation, and said that had the income taxation of £8,248.945 collected in 1920-21 bien continued during the 10 years to 11)30, the Government would have received forty million* more. The Finance Minister of the time said that he did not want it, yet. despite that extraordinary statement, the (!nvernment in that period had borrowed overseas £54.202,451. At the same time it paid interest due on overseas debts to the extent of £54,892,497.

During a period when they said that money was not wanted, he said, they borrowed a hundred millions at Home and abroad. The last Budget before the House showed that for three years of the present administration the national debt had increased by £3,580,050, after allowing the deduction of the discharged soldiers' account mortgages and rural securities, which should have been added to the national debt iii 1935. A' little over a million a year had been added to the national debt, as against £(1,000,000 a year by the last Government.

In the same period, Mr. Parry proceeded, the Labour Government had removed anproximately six millions of overseas debt to New Zealand, and they were now paying New Zealand people interest instead of people abroad. The position showed that the surplus prosperity during the previous Government's term of office did not reach the homes of the wage and salary earners, or the farming and business community. It waa a real orgie of speculation, that became almost a scandal, and the effects were still being cleaned up. Bankruptcy Figures. Continuing, Mr. Parry said that £16,586,780 was spent on land for soldiers' settlement, but to date £8,151,480 had been written off, and they were still writing it off. Millions had been lost in extra, superfluous meat companies, and recklessness had gone on apace. In the 1020-30 period, 1643 farmers had to face the bankruptcy court, the total of all groups of bankrupts went up to 6914, or a yearly average of 601. Bankruptcies under the Labour Government had averaged 30 a year, and only 18 for this year. On the one hand, surplus incomes hrtd been left with the wealthy, and farmers and other business men had been going bankrupt. Under the previous Government prices were higher than to-day, wag* rates were lower, and the purchasing power was lower. Mr. Parry claimed that Labour had kept the rate of taxation at the same level and had created assets. Surplus income had been used for social services, and there had been an increase in pensions and pensioners. The overdraft rate had been reduced, more had been spent on education, and cost of living had been met with higher purchasing power. The complaint about young men leaving the land was heard in most countries where agriculture was carried on. In New Zealand one heard complaint of that kind, hut figures showed that New Zealand was one of the most fortunate of countries.

Referring to housing, Mr. Parry Mid that the contribution of the previous Government towards housing was to build a factory at Frankton, get a sawmill and bush, and then pull down the factory and "sack" the workers. The Labour Government to date had acquired land in 83 towns for houses. Tenders had been called for 3777 houses, and many people had been found employment. The fact that the Labour Government had advertised 2385 houses in the first year could W .compared with the Reform Government's, scheme in 1019. A report from the superintendent of housing .in November of ihat year showed that there had been an increase in the cost of wooden buildings .from £775 to £000, and an increase in the cost of brick and concrete dwellings from £850 to £1000. Twenty-one months after the passing of that Act tbe number ol houses completed was 182, and incomplete 232. In twenty months of Labour's activity the number of completed and uncompleted houses, for which contracts had been let, was 3120, an average of 150 a month. Rents of Houses. Proceeding; Mr. Parry said that Mr. Coates in an Auckland address had been reported to have said that it was misleading to the people of the country to suggest that a wafre-earner could pay rents from 25/ to 32/6 a week as tenants in State houses. After Mr. Coates became Prime Minister the State Advances rate was increased to flj per cent, and at that rate the cost of a house with added charges would be close to £2 a week. The speaker touched briefly on the increase of fanners' incomes, the larjre amount of credit that had been made available for national purposes, the greater provision now being made for school children and the teachers, and then commented upon the increase in savings' bank deposits since Labour had taken office. He asked businessmen to remember that Labour hnd restored confidence in expenditure, and created a demand for expenditure. Sights of Community. Mr. Parry said that the Labour Government had protected and safeguarded the rights of the community, and fairminded people would realise that the work done by the Government in tbe last three years had brought happiness and contentment to the people of New Zealand. (Applause.) After answering questions, Mr. Parry nirfnla vot*of thanks end mnnderw