MRS M'COMBS AT PHILLIPSTOWN.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18367, 28 April 1925, Page 12

MRS M'COMBS AT PHILLIPSTOWN.

A VIGOROUS SPEECH. Speaking at Phillipstown last night, Mrs McCombs reminded her hearers that two years ago the Conservative Cabinet Ministers congratulated Mr Flesher on his victory over the Labour candidate. This year, said Mrs McCombs. the handful of Tories who stylo themselves the "Citizens' Association" issued :i manifesto in March and another in April which contradict each other in a most delightful manner. The March manifesto advocated building houses for the people, but because the Labour Parly advocated the same plank the Citizens' April manifesto suggests that the Labour proposal would mean an increase in rates. Is it any wonder that the Association's representatives on the Council have only built an averago of five houses-a year, whereas Auckland has built 50 houses In 31 months. According to the .Government Statistician, there were in the Christchurch urban area 1348 overcrowded dwellings, affecting 10,316 persons. The Citizens' Association proposes to do nothing, or next to nothing. The Citizens' Association is in favour of building a Concert Hall at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds, but "For The Good Of The City" it reminds the ratepayers that if we provide more children's playgrounds they will have to be "paid for out of the rates." "For The Good Of The City" (the Association's motto) the Association is opposed to the Labour Party's proposal to use the Concert Hall for'an up-to-date muni-, cipal picture theatre for children, where the pictures would be carefully selected. I support the proposal of the Council, of Christian Congregations in this connexion. Sueh a proposal would be revenue-producing, and the cost would ■ not fall on the rates. Similar picture shows for children in America, > where the admission is only five cents, bring in considerable revenue. The charges in some cases are as low as one penny, j In New York there exists an unofficial voluntary organisation, "The New York National Committee on Films for Young People." It aims at "the discovery, production, selection, distribution, and the use of motion pictures and programmes for young people." Com : ing nearer home, Ihe Council of Public Education, Victoria, Australia, criticising the average picture show, says: "The whole constitutes a travesty of life, a. distorted view of tho-standards of living, which may do little harm to the adult with his powers of discrimination, but quite evidently is a menace to the impressionable mind of youth." For the protection of private enterprise, and not for "The Good Of The City," the Citizens' Association asks: "Is it necessary to risk the ratepayers'money on children's picture shows i" The answer is that other cities are willing to spend money on promoting the physical, montal, and moral well-being of their young citizens. The Citizens" Association has no proposal for the benefit of the children.

The Citizens' Association, which has clone nothing but raise the rates year after year> has the audacity to suggest that ix the LaboUr Party came into power the rates would be. raised. La-, bour is in power in Sydney, and wages have been increased, but a cable last week said the rates would not bo increased. In the last two years the Citizens' Association reduced, wages and increased rates. ' If Labour secures a majority on "Wednesday, rates will-not be increased. The Council's employees will be paid sufficient to maintain- a reasonable standard o£ cpmfprt for their wives and children.

If thd Labour Party conies ijito.powcr. in this, city, rates Will not : be increased, but the Labour Party will'not hesitate to use its power to raise, the standard of living for all the workers by setting an example to other employers. The Citizens' Association has not hesitated to say that if successful it will turn the Court's minimum into a maximum by keeping, wages at the lowest possible minimum. Hostile to the workers as the present Tory Government is, it. has never enunciated su'«i a reactionary proposal. In contrast to the views held by the littlo business men on the Citizens' Association, I quote the opinion of one of the greatest captains of industry the world has produced, Henry Ford. In a chapter of his book, dealing with wages, ho Bays: "Throughout the Pord industries wo now have a minimum wage of six dollars a day"—(i!6s). "I have learned through the years a good deal about wages. I believe in the first place that, all other considerations aside, our own sales depend in a measure on the wages we pay. If we can distribute high wages, then that money is going to be spent, and 'it will make storekeepers and" distributors and manufacturers' and workers in other lines more prosperous, and their prosperity will be reflected in our sales. Oountry-wido high wages spell country-wide prosperity." I could quote Lord Luverhulme to like effect, and I place the opinions of these captains of industry against the minimum wage policy by the Citizens' Association.

In reply to a question, Mrs McCombs said she was strongly in favour of a ciildron's playground in Philiipstown. [Extended Report Published by Arrangement.]