LABOUR MINISTERS' SPEECHES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22414, 30 May 1938, Page 5

LABOUR MINISTERS' SPEECHES

TO THX XDITOB OX THX FK*»«. Sir,—A' few Hays ago you published a letter from me asking the Hon.. D., G. Sullivan or the Hon. H. T. Arm- , strong to bring forward a case or cases

of misrepresentation made by the Opposition. As I expected, there has been no answer. The members of the Labour Cabinet tour the country breathing “fire and brimstone” and accusing the Opposition of everything under the sun. The accusations are just “hot air” as when it comes to producing some proof of their words they pursue a course of masterly silence. Now a party which accuses another party of “misrepresenting, slandering, and forging” without any foundation or proof, then becomes the “misrepresenting” parly. I pointed out in my last letter three clear cases of misrepresentation in the Labour policy at the last election: (1) reduction of exchange, (2) taking , off the sales tax. (3) increasing wages without increasing cost of living. Now I am going further, (1) The general public consider that the position of unemployment and the fund is being misrepresented to them. Mr Armstrong says unemployment is lower 'than it has ever been. If so.’ then there must be a very nice surplus out of the £5,000,000-subscribed. If the-Dairy Fund surplus of £500.000 is returned to the dairy farmer, then as a subscriber to the unemployment relief fund, I suggest that the surplus to that fluid be returned to the subscribers. Will Mr Armstrong publish a balancesheet of the Unemployment Relief Fund, showing how many men have had relief this year, how much has been spent, what and where the surplus'is—in fact, a balance-sheet which can be understood by everyone. Publish it in the newspapers, not in a year book' or. some, such . publication which is only seen by ope person out of about every 5000. (2) The general public consider that, in the matter of the. guaranteed price the position has been misrepresented. Last year the Government -borrowed. £350,000 from the taxpayers of this country to pay the dairy farmer the guaranteed price. That amount of £350,000 was on the debit side of the Dairy Fund Account. The Government gaye a clear understanding to everyone that that money was to be offset by any surplus in years to come. Yet what is happening? This is election year and we have the Labour Government buying voles with the taxpayers’ riioney by assuring the dairy farmer that the surplus of the fund will be over £500,000 and that the money is “theirs.” That money is not “theirs,” £350,000 is the taxpayers’, and the rest belongs to the equalisation fund as long as the guaranteed price is in operation. It. is a pathetic situation for a government to be in. It knows the dairy farmers’ vote was a big factor in its getting into power. It is not certain how pleased the dairy farmer is with the guaranteed price; if he is not pleased he may vote for the Opposition, so to curry favour with the dairy farmer, the Government pays out £350.000 of the taxpayers’ money and £150,000 out of the equalisation fund “just in case.” If Mr Sullivan or Mr Armstrong think the above cases have been misrepresented, no doubt the papers will publish anything they have to say. I do not want them to think I have an axe to grind except as one of the general public, nor am I a journalist. I am just what I say I am, on the sideline and.—Yours, etc., ONE OF THE MOB. May 28. 1938.