Mr Moohan Criticises Higher State Charges

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 19

Mr Moohan Criticises Higher State Charges

Tiie National Government trad boasted of tax concessions of £26 million, but at the same tune took £2O million away from people by way of increased charges on State services, said Mr M. Moohan, Labour member of Parliament for Petone, at a meeting in Woolston last evening.

Mr Moohan was speaking to 25 persons in support of Mr N. E. Kirk, the Labour candidate for Lyttelton. “There was no reason in the world why suburban rail fares should have been raised,” said Mr Moonan. “Labour did not increase fares because we knew you could price yourself out of the market. And the last Railways report shows they lost £2 million. “These are the businessmen; these are Die geniuses," said Mr Moohan. Had it not been for the Labour Government there would have been no Aramoaua ferry, he said. “We decided to buy the ship and it was the greatest step forward for the railways in New Zealand. “On television, they set up committees. I suppose some of the originals died- of old age. We decided New Zealand should have television. “The Post Office, a very wealthy institution, makes profits. Any State monopoly cannot do anything else. But they put ttie charges up because, they said, they wanted more money for capital development. But they just finished what we had started. “This Government nas abdicated responsibility. It hates making a decision. They set up a committee, and every time you ask a question they say: “Oh no, ... It is before a committee. I don’t know any that have reported yet. “Rates are getting as much as a rent used to be years ago. It is significant that when Die previous National Government was in rates of interest were raised. We reduced them. Tills Government put them up again. They believe they should borrow at the highest rate of interest demanded. “We have decided we will institute a local government finance corporation. That will ensure that the competition and the scramble for loan moneys will stop," said Mr Moohan.

‘■'lt was a Labour Government that instituted the two weeks’ tioliday with pay. Now we propose three weeks' holiday on full pay. There’ll be a scream about that, just as there was about the 40-hour week. You ask National to pass three weeks’ holiday. Bless my soul—they’d faint. He said that with 300,000 young people seeking employment in the next four or five years, only a Labour policy would ensure the industrial expansion required to supply the jobs. Asked whether he tl lought the Government wanted an immediate loan when it joined the World Bank two years ago, Mr Moohan replied: “I don’t know the the mind of the Government, which is mostly a vacuum. But it is now 1963 and I don’t think we have got anything yet.”'