MINIMUM FAMILY INCOME

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 307, 22 September 1943, Page 8

MINIMUM FAMILY INCOME

Government’s Intentions MR. FRASER REVIEWS LABOUR REGIME Should the breadwinner become unemployed or sick, the amounts specified for the' relief of himself and family at present were not adequate, said the Prime .Minister, Air. Fraser, when speaking, at St. James’ Hall, Adelaide Hoad. Wellington, last night. Consequently, he added, the Government was coming forward with a measure for a minimum family income. Labour advocated a minimum family income for good times or bad, in sickness or in health, sufficient to live ou. Air. Fraser gave an indication, too. that changes in the social security programme in the form of improved medical facilities were contemplated. Giving a word picture of the changes wrought by Labour, during eight years of oilice in the conditions of tlie mass of the people. Afr. Fraser said that ou that the Government based its claim to return again, carry-on that work and move on to greater heights for the benefit of the country. . , , Wages and salaries earned, by tbe people have increased by 2A times since Labour went into office from £66,000.000 to £1'35.000,000. (Applause.) If we take the incomes of all the people—in business, professions, on farms, trom interest, e t e .—it has increased in the same period from £106,000,000 to £26o.ooo,ooo—again 21 times as much, (Applause.) Even though taxation has inevitably increased during the war period, if this is deducted the people still have -twice as much money coming into the home as when the National Party were in office.” Factories operated in the same period had increased by 1100. said Mr. Fraser, the number of workers in them from 77.000 to 117,000. and the value of the output from £70,000,000 to £159,000,000. That was a crucial test of a •Government in office. Capital investments had increased from £67,000.000 to £87,000.000. Fann production under the guaranteed price (which was to be paid even if the exports could not be shipped) had gone up from £59,000,000 to £96,000,000 m value. No mutter what resolutions were adopted by the same people who put them forward each time at meetings of the Farmers’ Union, county and road boards, the farmers were far better off. They felt so secure of adequate returns that under Labour the acreage of land treated with phosphates and lime had increased from 2,600,000 to 4,200,000. No matter what the farmers or their organizations said, they had never been better off than at present. It had been difficult at times, said Mr. Fraser, to ship the butter, cheese and meat from the Dominion. Stores begau to fill up, and the Aleat Board, acting with the best of intentions, thought the best thing to do would be to boil down the ewe mutton and make more room for lamb and wether mutton. The Government took the attitude- that it would try to build up all the refrigerated storage possible, so that it could be said that not an ounce of food had been destroyed in this country when it was urgently needed in Britain if it could be shipped. Australia, Britain and America were searched for refrigerating machinery, which was even taken out of the wrecked Port Bowenl “Our instinct turned out to be right. That food was saved,” said Air. Fraser.

•Similar ground was covered by Mr. Fraser in a subsequent address at the Brougham Street Hall. He said that while he bad been away his political opponents had done their worst to pull down his last election majority. He did not want to refer to some of the stupid assertions so recklessly made. Some were below notice and beneath contempt. Some of them, were absolutely preposterous. He regretted that Air. Appleton had seen fit to bring General Freyberg’s name into politics. He thought it was in bad taste. His opponents could do their worst and they would still be defeated in Wellington Central. Musical honours were accorded Air. Fraser at both meetings, and votes of thanks and confidence adopted. There were six dissentients at Brougham Street.