HOW LABOUR BUILT UP INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 306, 21 September 1943, Page 6

HOW LABOUR BUILT UP INDUSTRY

Pre-War Vision Applauded PAHIATUA CAN DI DATE’S ADDRESS Dominion Special Service. PALMERSTON N., Scptenibcr 20. “The National I’arty has stolen 90 per cent, of our policy that is a vote of confidence in us—but remember thee policv is only promises; we s done it, said Ale. G. Ilans-n, Labour eandidatc for I’aliintua, speaking at Woodville- tonight. He defended “the foresight shown bv the Labour Government. He was very well received, frequently applauded, ami given a vote of thanks and confidence and musical honours. 'The chairman. Air. C. Forbes, mayor of Woodville, said that Air. Hansen was a practical ilairy-ftirmer and one of the largest suppliers to his district factory. He had been chairman of his tactory lor some years and was a director for — j Hansen said that one of the main issues in 193 S was the import restrictions With vision. Labour saw that New Zealand secondary industries must be built. They built them to such effect that when the war began the machine)y existed to develop the industrial organization which now produced 84 per cent, of the country’s materials for war. Where would the country have been it the “old gang” had continued iff power.

he asked. . New Zealand had equipped its own troops with several uniforms apiece, plus one each for the Home Guard, and it. had supplied uniforms for all the British forces in India and for thousands in the Middle East. “Yet all out- opponents can talk about is the ‘manpower muddle’,” said Air. Hausen. What an outcry there had been when, the Government, placed an embargo of 3/6 on boots. But it then gave the manufacturing firms full facilities- 'to import the best, machinery to make the footwear here. The result was that since 1939 the New Zealand footwear industry had made 3.000,000 pairs of military boots, as well as sending thousands of pairs to Russia. An interjector: I would like to see you improve on your tannery' business. I sell -boots, and they are not too goon. Air. Hansen: “You wouldn’t expect preference over soldiers would you? I Lake the word of General Freyberg before yours, and he says the New Zealand army’ boots are the -best in the world.” Air. Hajisen said there was a complaint about coal shortage, but it took 300 tons a week for one United States camp where malaria cases had to be kept warm. Yet if Air. Holland had had his way every miner in New Zealand would have been in jail, and every dairy factory would have been closed in a week. The Coalition Government was going to develop a South Island aerodrome under the pick-and-shovel method, and. on a wage of 10/- a week. Labour came in, secured the only' bulldozers -that a British Empire country had then, yet used, and instead of shifting the dirt at the Coalition estimate of 7/li a yard, it did it for 2d. “If you had waited for the predecessors of the National Party to do 'the job the Japs would have Ibeen here first,” the candidate added. The machinery brought in by. Air. Semple had (been rushed to the Alid-dle East and had- pushed out aerodromes right as far as Tunisia. These same machines had saved hundreds of New Zealand lives, having built aerodromes so close to the lines that the wounded could be flown, to hospital in 20 minutes. If the Japs had got -to Fiji there were sufficient aerodromes in New Zealand tor every United States plane in the Pacific to have landed here. “All our opponents seem able 'to cry about is the shortage of pyjamas and baby wool —trying to catch the votes ot the 'unthinking,” continued Mr. Hansen. Did they' think about the 1,909,000. pairs of underpants, the 3,000,000 pairs .ot socks and the 3,183,000 yards of material for Army shirts? . They should consider the woolpacK industry which had been condemned so strongly by Labour’s opponents Had. it not been for this industry the New Zealand soldiers would not have a sandbag today to protect them. "If it had not beeu for Labour’s vision New. Zealand would have proved a second -Singapore, added-Air. Hansen.