WATERSIDERS' MEETING

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29368, 22 November 1960, Page 18

WATERSIDERS' MEETING

Mr Hay Speaks At Lyttelton

Watersiders at Lyttelton gave an attentive hearing to Mr J. B. Hay, National candidate for Lyttelton, then passed by acclamation a vote of no-confidence in the leader of the Opposition (Mr Holyoake) and the National Party, at a lunch-time meeting yesterday. Mr Hay spoke for less than 15 minutes and then asked for questions from the floor. He got bombarded. About 200 watersiders were in the waterfront Centennial Hall to hear Mr Hay. The only other man on the platform with Mr Hay was the chairman, Mr E. Threadwell, who is president of the Lyttelton Watersiders’ Union. Before starting his speech, Mr Hay said there had been some mistake about his not being permitted to talk to the watersiders, “but I think that matter has been cleared up.” “I don’t want you people to think that I have no time for you. You are a most important industry.

“We in this country are a community. If farmers’ production of meat and wool is going up you people will get more work. So if the country is prosperous more goods come into the country over the wharfs.” Mr Hay said that his party supported voluntary unionism instead of compulsory unionism. The Arbitration Court would remain. Only the word compulsory would be taken out of unionism. Unions would still have the right to negotiate on behalf of unionists.

Mr Hay then asked for question, but the chairman suggested that he “go ahead and talk to the boys.” He replied: “I’d sooner take questions from the boys. I’m here to be shot at.”

His first question came from a watersider in a tartan shirt who was invited up to the platform to use the microphone. Mr Hay was asked: “Do you fully support your leader’s promises to fully restore the restrictive provisions' of the Police Offences Act?”

Mr Hay: “I am new to this game and cannot speak with a lot of authority on such matters.

“At the moment I can only say that I would have a good look at it, and I might support it. If I didn’t like certain clauses I would certainly Say so.” Each time questions were asked for, 20 or more men were on their feet with their hands raised.

To a question on compulsory unionism, Mr Hay said: ‘‘We feel that under compulsory unionism you have to pay a fee for the right to work.” There were other questions on compulsory unionism, unemployment and promises by both parties made in the 1957 election before the chairman called a halt and asked for a vote of thanks.

Immediately a man near the platform jumped up, moved the vote of thanks and the vote of no confidence in the National Party. He was greeted with cheers. The chairman called for a formal vote and got a roar of “ayes,” but about five “noes” filtered through.

“NEW DEAL”

Social Credit Policy

National Party • speakers were saying a vote for Social Credit was a vote wasted. Was it not a wasted voted to give it to other political parties which were proved failures? asked Mr W Green, Social Credit candidate for Christchurch Central, in an election address last evening. Eleven people were present at the Phillipstown School to hear Mr Green. Neither National nor Labour deserved votes. They now followed the same pattern, and were completely bereft of ideas. All the record of the parties showed when they were in power there was a succession of broken promises, said Mr Green. “The country is sick and tired of inter-party political showmanship. It does not want governments setting up more commissions and committee's, thus putting the people more firmly under the control of the bureaucrats in Wellington,” said Mr Green.

The National and Labour parties were so short of original ideas that they had to filch new ideas from the Social Credit platform. “Mr Nash and Mr Holyoake say there is a difference between the respective parties. When one party has taken over from the other has there been any real change?” he asked.

“Social Credit has issued a challenge to the other parties. It has entered into a contract with the people of New Zealand,” he said. It had made a statutory declaration that if it was returned to power and did not implement certain parts of its policy within two years, then it would resign. •

“People may say it is easy for a party which is not likely to become the Government to make such promises. I think it is worse for parties that may come into power hot to have a contract with the people to carry out its promises or resign. “The Social Credit Party has come forward with a policy based on a philosophy. It believes that the time has come to rise above pure party politics.

“You will have noticed that when the three major political parties issued their manifestos our leader (Mr P." H. Mathews) did not attack the other political leaders. He was concerned only with stating his policy to- the people.”

Mr Green said that Social Credit was a “new deal” both politically and financially. Politically it was based on a philosophy of brotherly love, justice, truth and honesty. “That embodies the basic laws of the universe. Ignore them and we perish.” he said.