IN REVIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 121, 18 November 1936, Page 12

IN REVIEW

GOVERNMENT'S AIMS

s ELECTION PROGRAMME

"MUCH TO BE DONE"

The extent to which he considered the Labour Government hud achieved its objective in nutting- its election programme into operation •vas discussed by the Prime minister (the Rt. Iloii. M. .1. Savage) in an interview with a "Post" reporter today.

Mr. Savage said that before the elec.ion (just on a year ago) ho had ioured the country and had stated that the standard of living should be a ( true reflection of what the people were capable of producing. That was the objective, and to reach it the people had to be in a position to buy to the same value as they produced. "We haven't nearly reached that," said Mr. Savage; "we have a long way to go." He said that he had stated that in reaching that objective hours had to be shortened, because some of the difficulties today were the direct result of the machine displacing human labour. Hours of labour had been shortened, and the introduction of the 40-hour week was a substantial contribution to that aim. In addition to the shortening of hours, he had stated that it was essential to raise the salaries and incomes of the people generally. To the man who was producing farm products he had said that a guaranteed price was essential to establish that class of producer in a position in which he would be independent of overseas market Uuctuations. "We have started on that aspect of our programme, but wo still have a long way to go before j everything is finalised. In the matter of raising salaries, we have made a substantial beginning." At the same time, it would be realised that there were still difficulties to be overcome. Increased production meant nothing unless at the same time there was increased income—that was, increased income for all, and not only for some. "Have we reached that objective?" Mr. Savage said. "No." There was still much to be done, but he did not see any reason to make any apologies for what the Government had done or what it had not done so far. HELPING INDUSTRY. Mr. Savage said that the first aim of -the Government had been to help those inneed, but the Government had not been successful in everything. As far as was humanly possible, the Government desired, to begin with those whose need was worst, and when they met success in that direction the Government would, at the same time, be helping industry. The raising of the standard of living of those on the lower rungs was more helpful to industry than raising the standard of living of those on the top of the financial scale. "I don't think I am egotistical in saying that we have got a fair way on that road, and that we have made a substantial beginning; and we will make more progress if the people stand behind us," he said. FREE EDUCATION. The Prime Minister said that there was a lot to be done in the field of education, and the Government wanted to see a full and free education from the kindergarten to the university. "We haven't got that," he said, "but we are going to have it. The educated race of the future will be the successful race of the future." Then, a national health service had to be established, and that involved gaining the co-operation of all those engaged in that class of work. Members of hospital boards, and the medical and nursing professions, were at present doing valuable work, but with obsolete machinery. With the co-operation of those persons a health service should have a substantial beginning before Parliament met again. UNIVERSAL SUPERANNUATION. Another substantial part of the Government's programme was the universal pension or superannuation. Much had been said about security for the future during election campaigns, but insecurity existed today for the average citizen. Even persons fairly well placed today did not know what the future would bring forth. The Government's aim was to bring1 about a state of security by what he considered was the biggest part of the programme—by a superannuation system that would be universal in character. The basis of such a system could only be production. As long as the people produced sufficient to provide a decent standard of living, there was no reason why the laws of the land should not reflect that in a system of superannuation that would cover every person in old age or those who were invalids. Good work had been done in the past, but the Government desired to carry on that work. "LONG WAY TO GO." "We have a long way to go before the objective of Labour is reached," said Mr. Savage. "As long as there is one child in this country poorly educated, poorly clad, and poorly provided for in health sense, our work is not accomplished. As long as one person is dependent solely on individual effort rather than on the collective effort of the community in the way of a health service or superannuation, I say the objective of Labour will never be reached, and the people will never be free. I don't want to discount the work and the responsibility of the individual. The individual must not lie down by the wayside and think that the State will provide everything, because, after all, the individual is the State."

In conclusion, Mr. Savage said that the Labour Government was pledged to the three-year Parliament. "Any alteration will have to be made with the sonsent of the people," he said.