STANDARD OF LIVING

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25738, 25 February 1949, Page 8

STANDARD OF LIVING

DEPENDENCE ON N.Z. PRODUCTION

MR FRASER SPEAKS ON I ECONOMIC POLICY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 24. / In considering whether the standards of living and services for the people could be raised, he would ask the trade union movement to examine the country’s level of production first, said the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) in an address to the Wellington Trades Council last night. Mr Fraser was present for nearly two hours to address the counciland answer questions on economic policy, including references to wages, and on international and Commonwealth affairs. A report issued by the press committee of the Trades Council after the meeting said the Prime Minister declared that his Government wholeheartedly supported and adopted a policy of giving as much as possible to the workers from the country’s production, but the country could only enjoy its wealth to the extent of its production and no more. Mr Fraser said there was a group of people who believed that by making extravagant demands, they could cause economic chaos within the country and so damage New Zealand as much internally as an external attack would do. Such tactics could destroy the economy of the country and result in chaos. The Prime Minister also reported at length, added the committee’s statement, on the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference and on the Paris meeting of the United Nations. Dealing with ’ New Zealand’s national defence. Mr Fraser said that if conditions arose where military training was considered necessary, every effort would be made to have the System of training on a voluntary basis, but if that failed the Government would ha ze ho alternative but to introduce compulsion for the defence of New Zealand. He emphasised his failure to understand. and the Government’s refusal to tolerate, persons who thought that it was all right for the Eastern European and Soviet countries to enforce military training and be armed to the teeth, and at the same time bitterly opposed any suggestion of the right of the'democracies to arm and train their ■ people to protect their democratic Tights. Such people were obviously 'Enemies of democracy, and would be : treated as such, added Mr Fraser. After Mr Fraser had answered ques- ' tions. the council adopted a resolution thanking him, and pledging those present to examine the matters placed before them with open and unbiased minds.