LABOUR’S HARVEST

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 6

LABOUR’S HARVEST

Address To National Party Branch “During my 40 years’ service as a railwayman 1 served under many Governments, including those of Coates, Ward, Forbes, and Labour,” said Mr. G. H. Mackley, M.P., yesterday, at the annual. general meeting of the Wellington South electorate of the New Zealand National Party. “The last five years of my term was served directly under tne present Labour Government. So I am well equipped to speak with knowledge on the policy and methods of many Governments. Admittedly no Government has been perfect. To me there has been no doubt of the honesty of purpose of any of the Governments under which I served except the present Government. “In 1938, after the first three years of office of the Labour Government, I formed the opinion that they were not carrying out their promises of 1935. They had slipped from grace. They were pandering to the worst elements of their owu class. Though' at the time I had no political background, these facts sank deeply into my mind. No sooner were they in power than they distributed the spoils to the victors.” Mr. Mackley explained that this and other factors decided him to join the National Party. “If the Government thinks that all the things it has done have gone into the limbo of the past they are making a great mistake,” he added. “They have a good deal more for which to answer when the day of judgment comes than has any previous Government. The way they treated Messrs Scrimgeour and Lee shows how they treat their own. As for , myself, I have entered politics to follow that type of government which takes power for the benefit of all the people and not for a section only. The present Government is concerned about class legislation only and not about the broad masses of the people as a whole; except to take out of their pockets their hardearned cash.

“For these and many reasons I decided to join the band of men in whom I had confidence. I am satisfied that when I joined the National Party I didn’t make a mistake. I can assure you that in your leader and the members under him you have a band of men of whom you can be justly proud. In fact, since I have been in Parliament I am more convinced than ever that the Labour Government is no better from any point of view- than when they were in Opposition. They still spread the seeds of class hatred and disunity despite the fact that the war demands the very reverse. Much of the crop they have sown has yet to be harvested. In fact, I am convinced that the crop they will harvest is not going to be of ultimate good to God’s own country.” The election of officers resulted as follows: Chairman, Mr. P. R. Harvey"; secretary and treasurer, Mr. S. Campbell. A representative electorate committee of 30 members was also selected.