CLASS PREJUDICE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 67, 20 March 1931, Page 8

CLASS PREJUDICE

WAENING TO LABOUR

THE LESSON OF AUSTRALIA

SPEECH BY MR. POLSON

A warning to tho Labour Party that its attitude in respect to the emergency legislation of tho Government' was producing class prejudice which might create a crisis similar to that in Australia was littered in the House of Representatives yes t erday by the Independent member for Stratford (Mr. \V. J. Poison). Mr. Poison said he was glad the Government had tackled the job of putting tho finances of the country in order, although he would have been better pleased if action had been taken a year sooner. The situation was clear; figures showed that tho depression w^uld not lift aa early as some people believed. Cuts had been necessary in Australia, and New Zealand was demanding similar action in order to restore the economic position. He congratulated tho Leader of the Opposition on having taken up a non-party attitude in the House. Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central): "Will the lion, gentleman include Sir Francis Bell'?"

"I am sorry wo cannot say- the same of the Labour Party," said Mr. Poison. "They are appealing to class prejudices, and obviously they are hoping to benefit politically out of the tribulations of the community." Mr. C. Carr (Labour, Timaru): "Because we know we can help them." Mr. Poison said that the Labour Party was prepared to adopt repudiation methods by reducing interest and even reducing principal. A Labour voice: "Who said that?" EXTRAORDINARY ATTITUDE. "Their attitude is extraordinary," said Mr. Poison. "It is clear they were prepared to increase award rates in 1922 when they were against the employers, but they talk repudiation when it is suggested that wage rates should bo reduced to-day against tho employees." Mr. Fraser: "Hear, hear." Mr. Poison: "We all know that that is the hon. gentleman's attitude —one rule for the employer and another for the employee. We are entitled to take advantage of the experience of our neighbours and we are perfectly entitled to observe what is taking place in Australia. Now we find that the Labour Party in New Zealand is disagreeing violently with the Labour Prime Minister of Australia, who is opposed altogether .to repudiation. What is tho Labour policy in New Zealand to-day but the policy enunciated by Mr. Lang in Australia?" Mr. Can1: "Bolsheviks!"

Mr. Speaker: "Order! I will name the lion, gentleman presently if he persists in interjecting." "The Labour Party," s;.id Mr. Polson, "have already set class against class, and brother against brother, in Australia, and the situation in New South "Wales is extremely serious. There is'talk of the use of force. We don't want to see that sort of thing here. We don't want to see class prejudice^ aroused. AYe want to see the position" handled from a statesmanlike point of view. What is organised unionism doing in New Zealand? Have not the speeches of the Labour leaders outside and inside the House been along the lines they are travelling in New South AVales?" Mr. W. B. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central): "Quote one." A DEPLORABLE THING. Mr. Poison cited some of the speeches delivered on the steps of Parliament House at a big deputation recently. "I am satisfied," he said, "that the Labour leaders in this House don't want to see in New Zealand any such condition as exists in New South Wales, but if they persist in the attitude they are adopting they will arouso_ class feeling in this country. That is most deplorable, and is going to bring about a state of affairs in the near future that will be very prejudicial to the peace and prosperity of the Dominion." There was a very definite attempt on the part of the Labour Party to reduce the small farmer into supporting them (laughter), by making specious promises which Labonr would be unable to fulfil. The farmer had nothing to gain from land nationalisation, and Mr. Poison said hn was sure- the farmer would realise that to follow the Labour Party would get him nowhere. "As a matter of fact," ho added, "that is the way to Sov>etism, the route which in New South Wales Lang is travel•ling, and which by implication the Labour Party in this House is following—the road to Sovietism, under which 1 per cent, of the population governs the remainder in Russia to-day." Mr. W. «T. Jordan (Labour, Manukau): "We have that here to-day." DIFFERENCE OF POLICY. Mr. E. Semple (Labour, Wellington Bast) said he would defy Mr. Poison to produce one sentence that had been uttered by any member of the Labour Party, in the House or out of it, advocating repudiation. They had taken a stand against repudiation. "We say," he went on, "that the Government's proposals will repudiate every industrial agreement fixed by the Arbitration Court governing the wages of the workers, and because we stand four square for the carrying out of those agreements we have differed with the Government. I wonder if the hon. gentleman will accuse the Hon. Sir Francis Dillon Bell of repudiation. We are merely differing with the Government on a question of policy. Surely we are entitled to express an opinion without being accused of being enemies to our country."