Labour has Plans

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21512, 29 June 1935, Page 14

Labour has Plans

It must be hoped that before the general election takes place the New Zealand Labour party will, in order to simplify the task of the electors, appoint a committee to co-ordinate its various policies and to explain in precise language what the party will do if it comes into power. At present its intentions seem to vary from day to day in accordance with the section of the community to which the party is seeking to appeal. In his campaign in the North Island Mr M. J. Savage is expounding one policy: in the Lyttelton electorate Mr F. Langstonc is expounding a slightly different policy; and there is another policy still in a pamphlet issued last year under the deceptive title " Labour has a Plan." Tn Opotiki, for instance, Mr Savage displayed a grave solicitude for the interests of importers and promised " a gradual reduction in the rate of " exchange, thus removing the prc- " sent barrier to our trade with "Great Britain," conveniently forgetting that not so long ago he himself moved a motion in the House of Representatives urging the Government to consider a higher exchange rate as a means of assisting the farming community. One could forgive this inconsistency if it were possible to believe that the Labour party was really anxious to maintain New Zealand's position as a trading nation. Unfortunately, however, the party has also indicated that it favours a policy of prohibiting by a system of quotas the import of any goods which can be produced in New Zealand. Mr Langs'.one is also exercised over the exchange rate. In a speech reported in " The Press " yesterday he worked himself into a fine state of indignation because the Government had raised the exchange for the particular benefit of its farmer friends. This indignation would sound more convincing if Mr Langstone and the Labour party were prepared to set their faces against any special measures for the protection of the farmer. But it would appear from the rest of Mr Langstone's speech that what the Labour party proposes to do is simply to outbid the Government in the attempt to gain farmers' votes. At present farmers receive £l2-5 in New Zealand currency for every sterling credit of £IOO in London; under Mr Langstone's ver sion of the Labour scheme the farmer will receive £llOO in New Zealand currency for a sterling credii of £SOO in London. It seems desirable that Mr Langstone and Mr Savage, each equipped with a copy of " Labour has a Plan," should go into conference .in order to discover whether they can arrive at, a common policy.