Labour’s Record

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 3

Labour’s Record

Sir, —It seems to me that all these correspondents who accuse Labour are ashamed of their big wonderful ideas, or else they would not shelter behind a nom de plume. Tom Bryce has the courage of his convictions and is not ashamed to sign his name to them. Not one has even given cfledit to the wonderful things that Labour has done, or are they so youthful that they do not remember the days when there was no such thing as holidays on pay. I have not the space to mention all the amenities Labour brought in; but let the correspondents remember that when their beloved Holyoake government get in they may pay more for butter, bread and milk, that goes on the table. I notice that none of the correspondents blame the previous Government for the millions of pounds of debt we are saddled with.—Yours, etc., R. DAVIS. January 13, 1959.

Sir, —It is quite apparent that “Pegasus,” “An Old Dog,” and “Sundown” cannot face up to the impact of New Zealand’s relationships in world trade. Instead, they are like flies skating around in a tea saucer. Take only one instance of many—Sweden, with her tremendous output of steel, crockery, enamelware, glassware, clocks, watches, porcelain fittings and plumbing, household fittings of all kinds, geared to mass production, on a population of nearly seven millions. Sweden alone could trump every trick we have without control. So away with tea saucer psychology.—Yours, etc., R. M. THOMSON. January 13, 1959.

Sir,—l would ask A.F.P. who is fooling who; how does he work out the individual who pays social security tax pays for his benefits. I suppose the ordinary worker pays £1 a week social security tax. The family benefit alone works out at the average from 15s to £4 10s a week and more in many cases. Then there are maternity, doctor, medicine, dental, free text books, milk in schools, and sickness benefits. Talk about spoon-feeding.—Yours, LIBERAL. January 13, 1959.