REHABILITATION

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 304, 18 September 1943, Page 8

REHABILITATION

Delay In Providing Machinery

MR. MANSFORD CRITICAL Dominion Special Service. PALAIERSTON N., September 17.

Air. A. E. Alansford, Independent candidate for Palmerston North, addressed the first main meeting of his campaign in the Opera House tonight. There was a large attendance and applause was frequent, with ouly one interjector. Air. F. Jackson presided. The candidate received a unanimous vote of thanks aud confidence. Air. Alansford criticized the Government for delay iu providing machinery for rehabilitation. “It is apparently intended to use 'the departments, of State and existing avenues, but without a satisfactory organization there will be untold confusion, as there has been already, even while the pressure is exceedingly light.” He said the local committees should be invested with some authority. This was the only way of preventing delays, disappointments aud dissatisfaction. The committees have no authuritjat present. Specially-selected paid members should be appointed to the board if practical results were to be achieved. A scientific and comprehensive scheme for vocational training was long overdue and the educational aspects of rehabilitation had not been properly explored. The board at present tended to pay too much regard to the nature of the security for advances rather 'than to practical rehabilitation. Returned soldiers should at least have the right to acquire the freehold of 'their land but only at the last moment, possibly as an election catch, had the Prime Alinister made some ( incomprehensible statements on this subject. . “Every New Zealander is indignant, at the way the war and the soldier are being used by the Government stealthily to get its legislation 'through,” said Mr. Alansford, contending that the soldiers should not be tagged to the Small Farms Act and the Land Sales Act. “The time has arrived for an overhaul of the whole of New Zealand’s hydroelectric stheme and its control,” said Air. Alansford. “Today we are short of power in our homes, our factory production is jeopardized and our exports are in danger if power fails, as well it might with all the plants running to full capacity. Alinister Criticized. “AA'e are faced with years of shortage aud continued restrictions, and rationing and our plans for rehabilitation, are, all, in danger just because the Alinister of AVorks could not see far enough ahead.’ In 1936 and 1938 he had brushed aside the opinions of men who had made a lifetime study of electric power, namely the engineers and representatives of the supply authorities, who had pointed out just what would happen. “I am totally opposed to the unfair use that has been made of the broadcasting stations for political purposes,” said Air. Alansford. “Hardly a Sunday evening has gone without a Alinister or some representative of the Government putting over subtle political .'propaganda. The broadcasting stations are the property of all the people, not some of them. Sunday nights of all nights of the week should be free of this sort of very questionable propaganda.” The scale of pay in branches of the Public Service, particularly the police force., was criticized as inadequate by Air. Alansford. The pay of police, compared with men o'n the wharves, and in the coal mines and slaughter houses, was a mere pittance, he said. AVhen the Police Association recently made representations to the Alinister in Charge of .the Force his reply was that if he had any further trouble from the association he would disband it. AVheu the Government embarked on State housing it said private enterprise was not building quickly enough, hut in Palmerston North from 1938 to 1943 private enterprise built 46S houses and the Government only 394. . The choice before the people ac the coming election was 'bureaucratic control or private enterprise. Since. Woo tne State had encroached more and more on the libertv of the individual, particularly economic'liberty. There seemed to be a deliberate effort by the Government to abolish private property and eliminate tlie nrofit motive. A few years ago Queensland had extensive State enterprises which cost the people millions of pounds. The workers suffered most and the majority of the Labour leaders recognized that'fact. “Do not let us throw away the substance for the shadow, said MtAlansford.