CRITICISM OF LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 123, 20 November 1935, Page 19

CRITICISM OF LABOUR

MR. W. NASH HITS BACK

The first part o£ Mr. W. Nash's address at Wilford last evening was devoted to a reply to his opponent's criticism of Labour's policy. The schoolroom were well filled, Mr. H. V. Morgan occupying the chair.

"When speaking of the Government proposals for health insurance and national superannuation, my opponent," said Mr. Nash, "referred to Mr. Coates's statement that the best part of the Labour policy was already incorporated in the Government policy." This required careful examination to assess its value. Mr. Coates had said in regard to these questions that they were not just empty promises .for the proposals had been fully investigated by experts. These proposals, said Mr. Nash, had been spoken of over a very long period, for in the Reform Party's manifesto of November 21, 1914, under the heading of advantages for workers, we find this set out as the Reform policy of that time: "The Right to Insurance: Preparations are being made under a sound plan to insure workers against sickness and unemployment, and this policy will be on lines which will not clash with the work done by friendly societies."

This policy, said Mr. Nash, had now apparently come of age, for it was 21 years almost to the day when Mr. Coates repeated the promise, but what guarantee could the worker have that it was not an empty promise this time any more than in 1914 or at any of the elections since,when similar promises had been made by Reform, United, Coalition, and now repeated by the same people under the name of the Nationalist Party.

In 1914 Mr. Massey said the proposals were being investigated. In 1935 Mr. Coates said they had been fully investigated.

For 21 years and more, said Mr. Nash, the New Zealand workers had been misled by promises and still had no guarantee they would be kept if the Nationalists were returned. The Labour Party had also its schemes prepared, and would if returned to power at once give effect to its policy.

Mr. Nash replied to other points in his opponent's criticism.

He was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.