GOVERNMENT’S ACTS DEFENDED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 269, 10 August 1938, Page 6

GOVERNMENT’S ACTS DEFENDED

“Promises Fulfilled” LABOUR MEMBER SPEAKS AT MELROSE “Promises made by. the Prime Minister before the last election have been redeemed or will bo redeemed before we go out of Parliament,” said Mr. L. G. Lowry, M.P. for Otaki, addressing a meeting hold at Melrose lust night under the auspices of the Wellington Last electoral committee of the New Zealand Labour Party, iu conjunction with the Houghton Bay-Melrose branch. “When we come in again,” continued Mr. Lowry, “we’ll start on the next issue, because we don’t for a moment subscribe to the idea that, we have accomplished all we desire. Labour had proved that it was able competently to direct the destinies of the country and it faced the coming elections with every confidence, He said. . „ After stating that the promise for the restoration of pensions bad been fulfilled, Mr. Lowry said that a’measure for national superannuation would probablv be before the House on Thuisdav night. He quoted from an article as follows: “The scheme is opposed to natural laws because it seeks to help some of the people to evade the struggle for existence." “Do people will it that we should be at all times struggling, notwithstanding what we can produce for our welfare?” asked Mr. Lowry. . The promise to restore incomes had also been honoured, “We knew,” said Mr. Lowry, “that, as the result of wage increases, some employers would find themselves for the time being iu difficulty. but we knew that oue of the ways to bring prosperity to the people was to restore purchasing power. Employers might find themselves in some temporary 'difficulty but it would spur them on to make use of better machinery and to eliminate waste.” Referring to the Government’s efforts to re-establish men in secondary industries, Mr. Lowry said: “We can t do these things unless we have the support of all the people—the healthy support of the manufacturers and the Farmers’ Union. But what do we find? When the Onekaka iron ore industry proposal was under discussion in the House it was ridiculed by the Opposition.

The suggestion that a tyre industry might be established in New Zealand had been met with the remark, “It can’t be done.” And yet critics of the Government contended that it was destroying the initiative of the young men of the country.

Secondary industries would have to be nurtured and succoured if the country was to have a balanced economy, said Mr. Lowry. The trouble with those who opposed such action was that they lived in a machine age with agrarian minds. “Is this another election bogey?” asked the speaker, referring to “talk of Labour wanting to steal the land from the fanner.” The Government recognised the difficulties of the farmer; it Realised that, if it could stabilise him on his land and give him a proper return for his labour, it was on a safe road to success.

The guaranteed price, according to the Opposition, was going to be “a glorious socialistic experiment." hut who would say that it had been a failure? asked Mr. Lowry. He did not think that there were many farmers who would throw it over. As the result of what bad been done by the Labour Government the farmer’s income was assured.

Mr. Lowry- quoted the returns of business firms for the purpose of showing that trade was not languishing as the result of the Government’s legislation. Referring to extensions of business premises in Wellington, he asked: “Do they spend this money because they are assured that Labour is ruining the country?” Mr. Lowry paid tributes to the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, the Minister of Public Works, Hon. R. Semple, and the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash, for their work in their respective spheres. “Here is a man of vision who is looking and building ahead,” 'he said, defending Mr. Semple against charges of wasteful expenditure. A. vote of confidence in the Government and in the Minister of Public Works, Hon. R. Semple, who is the M.P. for the district, was carried unanimously. and the speaker was thanked for bis address. There was an attendance of 20.