Mr Fraser 'Criticises “The Press”

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25735, 22 February 1949, Page 4

Mr Fraser 'Criticises “The Press”

“CLAIM FOR £2 A WEEK IN REALM OF FANTASY”

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, February 21. The Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) issued the following statement in Auckland to-night:— “I have been informed that the following statement appeared in ‘The Press,’ Christchurch, this morning: ‘lt seems that the more conservative sections of the Labour Party, including the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) and the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash), have been overruled in Caucus by a group which supports the militant unions. The Left Wing’s usual spokesman, Mr G. H. O. Wilson (Government, Palmerston North), said in his Budget speech last August that wages had not been increased to the same extent as had other sections of the national income.’ “This statement is a complete and particularly foolish fabrication, especially reprehensible and sweeping in its falsity because it applies to every member of the Parliamentary Labour Party. There was absolutely no division of opinion at last week’s Caucus meeting of the party on industrial matters generally, or on those affecting the Public Service in particular. “The report of the Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) was accepted

unanimously, and he was thanked for his capable and fair treatment of industrial difficulties. ' “It was decided unanimously to publish figures of the national income and its distribution among the various sections of the community. Those figures dismiss the suggestion of an application for an increase in wages of £2 a week into the realm of fantasy. Indeed, the immovable facts of wealth and production set a limit to the amounts available all round the economic range. “The Government’s attitude to the claims of the Public Service Association since the session of Parliament was approved by all members, with the exception of the publication of the ‘Holmes the wisdom of which was doubted by three members, who voted accordingly. “There are no sections in the Parliamentary Labour Party. That conception is a sheer distorted figment of the imagination, promulgated for political purposes, mainly, at the moment, by Communist reactionaries and their feeble allies, for the purpose of weakly and vainly endeavouring to promote disintegration in the ranks of Labour.”