WITH MAJORITY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 213, 8 September 1943, Page 6

WITH MAJORITY

ON CONFIDENCE VOTE

MR. P. CARFTS ATTITUDE

Although the size of his audience —there was not move than 50 people present—in the Epiphany Hall. Newton. last night was disappointing, the Labour candidate for Auckland West. Mr. P. Carr, M.P., received a good hearing. There were no interjections during the two hours the candidate delivered his address, and at the conclusion he was accorded a unanimous vote of confidence, a similar vote of confidence in the Labour party being also carried. Mr. H. G. Stanley was chairman. In opening, Mr. Carr said he regretted there was so much bitterness in politics. At almost every opportunity, he declared, the Opposition attacked the worker and by so criticising and disparaging him created resentment and unrest. "I said at the last election I had no intention of being a 'Yes-man' and would always claim the right to exercise my point of view, but would accept the decision of the majority," said Air. Carr. He added that his opinion had been challenged on many occasions but, under the party system, he had accepted the majority decision because nothing else was satisfactory. It was all nonsense for Mr. Holland to say that the members of his party would have the right to vote as their conscience dictated. On a no-confidence motion they must vote with the Opposition. Where was the freedom in that? "We have been told that the mantle of Richard John Seddon has fallen upon Mr. Holland," continued Mr. Carr. "Well, that is enough to make Richard John Seddon turn in his grave. Much as I have disagreed with Air. Hamilton, I must say he was honest in his convictions and intentions, and he went in with the Labour Government in prosecuting the war." Mr. Carr did not think the Labour Government had anything to apologise for in its war effort. New Zealand had to go wherever Britain went and would do so until the end.

No Exploitation

Dealing with the land sales legislation, Mi\ Carr said Mr. Holland had been making misrepresentations throughout the countiT, and had stated the Government was going to take the homes from the people and confiscate their properties. There was nothing at all in the bill to suggest this, but the Labour Government was determined to see that the soldiers could get a holding on which they could earn a decent living. From 1917 to 1923 the acreage involved in land transactions was 19,493,370, some of the land being sold as many as six and seven times, every time at an advanced price. Land agents and solicitors' fees were included in the price, but they had not raised a single blade of grass on the land. That was something that would have to be given attention in the near future.

The Opposition had tried to block the passing of the bill and had cried "Socialism," he continued. The men who fought for the country were entitled to a share in it, and the Government proposed to pay for the land at a price based upon its productive value not on its market value. The Government would protect the men from exploitation and pay a fair not an inflated price for land. There was no provision in the bill, said Mr. Carr, for taking over houses by the Government, but the value to be fixed would be that on December 12 last. The State Advances Department made loans for houses up to 100 per cent in some cases and for the loans charged 4 1-8 per cent, not 7 per cent as a previous Government had fixed. But while the people could obtain the freehold of such houses, he did not agree that where the Government purchased the land and also built the house the tenant should have the right to purchase. He contended the Government should retain such properties. The candidate then dealt with the benefits of Social Security, the training of men in farm work and bootmaking, and concluded by remarking that, despite Opposition criticism of all that the Labour Government had done, the National party intended to carry on with that work. Could a greater compliment be paid to Labour?