NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 32, 1 November 1929, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

Another successful year to the credit of Flock House is recorded in the report and discussion at the annual meeting of the subscribers yesterday. It is interesting to note, in appreciating the value of this institution to the State, that during the past year four of the young men who had been in training have been enabled as the result of their own thrift and the assistance of the Trustees to establish themselves on farms of their own. Flock House has now been a going concern for a sufficient number of years to make it possible for an increasing number of the young men of the earlier drafts to do likewise, and the Trustees hope that this will be accomplished. In addition, a large number of young men and women who have been trained at Flock House have now been merged in the rural population as farm workers in various parts of the country. Certain Labour unions have passed resolutions urging the Government to discourage the bringing of British boys to New Zealand under such schemes. One imagines, however, that public opinion would strongly resent any political interference with the work of this valuable institution.

Yesterday morning The Dominion had something to say concerning the Labour Party’s breach of faith with th ? class it represents by its vote for the imposition of extra primage duty. Some hard things were said, but not quite so hard as are applied by the New Zealand Worker to such a case. . The Labour Party journal says: “The question arises as to the obligation under which a pledge places those who give it, and on this point there can be no two opinions that a party in power should make its policy conform with its votes before it got there. Unless this is so, theie can be no trust in politics, and our Parliamentary life will be debased by hypocrisy and double-dealing.” These remarks fit the Labour Party s case exactly. Although Labour is not the Government, on the question of primage it certainly was the party in power. It had the power to answer yea or nay. And the answer was in tic negative. Its votes before it became the party in power were against an increase in Customs taxation. In fact Mr. Holland told the House on this very question that “the Labour Party has always been opposed to Customs taxation for revenue purposes and is against primage.” Yet Mr. Holland and his party not only broke thenpledges but added some to the burden of taxes which fa chiefly, on the working classes.