LABOUR'S RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1938, Page 18

LABOUR'S RECORD

PLEDGES FULFILLED

CONFIDENT OF ISSUE

"ACHIEVEMENTS THE TEST"

; 'Tor-the first time the electors have < an opportunity of judging the respec-J-tive merits of the two opposing parties on the basis of their record as a Government. The Labour Party is con- j fident that an overwhelming majority \ r. of the people desire to see the policy which they, endorsed at. the last election continued and developed rather I than face the possibility of a reversion to the disastrous conditions that prevailed during the administration of ' the* Coalition Government. • "Electors should not be misled into believing that the present National -; Party is a new party with, new prin- !. ciples and new- ideas.. It is for all , practical purposes the same party com- ■ posed of the same men with the same - leaders and the same outlook as the party which was responsible for the ' government of the Dominion during 'the years 1931-35. Their present policy , deprived of its election trimmings, . contains no suggestion that their so- , cial Conception has undergone any significant change, or that they would . act in the future, if faced again with similar circumstances, any differently. from the way th y have acted in the past Since 1935 the people have had - an opportunity of assessing, in terms of • practical results, the alternative policy which Labour offers them. Achieve- ,, ments are a better test -than promises. WHEN LABOUR TOOK OFFICE. "The many thousands who suffered severe hardship during the depression years when the National Government ,was in office will need no reminder ' of the serious state of affairs which the Labour Government was called ' upon to remedy in December, 1935. The Government, on assuming office, lost no time in giving effect to its election promise to lift the incomes of the people generally and improve their standards of living." " , 1 In its manifesto of 1935 the Labour ; Party promised to: ' 1. Guarantee prices to farmers and abolish the ' spec u'lativc nature of -. their income. , / 'The principle of guaranteed indome. has been applied in the case of dairy produce, wheat, barley, fruit, onions, tobacco, and honey, giving security to the producers of these commodities.

"On October 15 the electors of the Dominion will be faced with the responsibility of exercising their rights of democracy and choosing their Government for the next three years," states the manifesto. *TThe issue is essentially one of principle—whether the future policy of the Dominion is to promote the welfare of the many or the interests of the few. •

2. Legislate a statutory minimum wage and salary to provide an adequate standard of living for all workers. "Rates of pay have been restored to and, in many cases, increased beyond I the 1931 standard both in and out of i the Public Service. "A minimum wage has been instituted; unemployment has been reduced to a minimum; hours of work have been reduced. 3. Reorganise the education system to provide the maximum possibilities of advancement for all our children. "The five-year-olds have been readmitted to our schools; the training colleges at Wellington and Dunedin have been reopened; school committees have been provided with adequate funds. An extensive school building | programme has been undertaken. Educational facilities in rural areas, including conveyance of primary scholars, | have been improved and extend;ed. Grants to the free kindergartens and thje Workers' Educational Association have been restored. The dental clinic service has been expanded and the milk-in-schools scheme introduced. 4. Institute a national health insurance service that will make freely available to everybody adequate facilities for the maintenance and restoration of health. "The social security legislation now on the Statute Book will ensure to every member., of the community full and adequate hospital, sanatoria, medical, pharmaceutical, maternity, and other health services. Provision has been made for vigorous measures aimed at the prevention of disease. ■ 5. Provide a superannuation and pensions system that will supply an adequate income to the aged, the ailing, the widow, and all those unable to earn their own living. "Soon after assuming office, the Government increased old age and widows' pensions, instituted pensions for invalids and deserted wives, gave women pensions at 60 and liberalised the conditions governing eligibility for old age pensions, increased economic pensions and provided, more pensions for soldiers' widows. 0. Organise productive development

and employment through public works assistance to local authorities and the fostering of secondary industries. "Twenty-three thousand six hundred and twenty men are now working on public works under reasonable rates of pay and good conditions. "Much necessary work has been undertaken as a result of arrangements made with local authorities. The Bureau of Industry has had under consideration plans for the. development of new industries—in particular, the establishment of an iron and steel industry is now under way. 7. Assume control of the central credit system of the Dominion to ensure the maximum utilisation and distribution of our national resources. "The Reserve Bank has been taken over;- credit facilities for the dairy industry and housing projects have been made available; the Bank is being used to support, maintain, and extend the production of the Dominion. 8. Support of the Covenant of the League of "Nations for the avoidance of war, and the maintenance of peace; the closest relations with the nations of the British Commonwealth. "Full delegations have been sent to the annual conferences of the International Labour Organisation and. to the Assemblies of the League. New Zealarr as been elected to the Council oi ...o League and has taken an active part in its deliberations. The closest co-operation has-been maintained with the United Kingdom and : other Commonwealth Governments in matters of defence and foreign policy. "Extensive and fruitful negotiations > have also been undertaken with regard to trade. 9. Reorganise the Mortgage Cor- > poration on lines similar to the State ' Advances Department. "The Corporation has been purchased ■by the State. The policy of the Cor- ! poration has been brought into line with the Government's objective- and new regulations, and an extended loan ■ procedure inaugurated. '< 10. Maintain jftc guarantees of the ' Public Service superannuation system. " These guarantees have been maintained - in full. 11. Restore the cuts made in salaries 1 and wages. They have been restored. ' "Electors are sufficiently familiar \ with the nature and objectives of the 1 policy which received their 1 endorsement at the last General . Election, and with the various steps by *, which it has been - progressively implemented. They . should bear in mind, however, the following major achievements in addition to those already noted, which the Gov--1 ernment has to its credit in carrying | out this policy, and in laying the foundation for its extension. J "(a) Wages and salaries have been . restored and increased. [ *'(b) Unemployment has been reduced to a minimum, "(c) Farmers' returns have been inL creased through guaranteed prices. i "(d) Education and health facilities - have been extended. s "(e) The five-day and 40-hour week has been introduced. * "(f) A Housing Construction Depart- » rnent has been inaugurated and a vigorous housing programme adopted, "(g) External and Internal Marketl ing Departments have been established j to organise and regulate the sale of primary products. • " "(h) Hydro-electrical development, road and railway qonstruction, and the provision of other public utilities have t been expedited.

"(i) Farmers and home owners have been rehabilitated by the adjustment of their mortgages and other liabilities. ' "(3) The defence forces and facilities—land, sea, and air—have been strengthened and improved, "(k) . Control over main highways has been unified, and transport services more efficiently co-ordinated. "(1) New markets have been opened up overseas, and existing markets safeguarded and extended by trade agreements and negotiations. "(m) Native land settlement has been promoted, schools improved, and health facilities extended. "(n) Revenue has substantially increased; overseas indebtedness has; been reduced; the Budget has beeni balanced and a surplus realised. "The last three years have been a period of legislative and administrative activity, unparalleled in the history of the Dominion. It is sufficient to state that every pledge which the Government made to the electors in its last election manifesto has been fulfilled in its entirety. Its record in this respect is one of which it can feel justly proud. The immense improvement in the standard of living of the people as a whole, and the general prosperity now prevailing, due allowance being made for the recovery in export prices; is the best testimony of the soundness, of the Government's policy and the efficiency of its administration. EFFECT OF LABOUR'S POLICY. "The effect of the Government's policy in lifting the standards of living of the people is reflected in the extent to which incomes have increased over the last three years. Real wages have risen 10.6 per cent. Aggregate annual wage and salary payments have increased from £65,000,000 in 1934-35 to over £100,000,000 at the present time. Income other than salary and wages increased during the first twelve months of Labour's administration by no less than £13.000,000. "Farmers' incomes have shown a similar remarkable improvement. Gross farm income in June, 1935, was £46,000,000. Two years later it had risen to £72,000,000. The improvement was especially marked in the case of the small farmer, whose income rose from an average of £102 in 1935 to £295 in 1937. "This increased purchasing power, combined with the Government's policy of ensuring a decent standard of living to those who, through no fault of their own, are unable to make proper provision for themselves, meant that thousands of people bought goods which for years previously they had not been able to buy. Production was immediately stimulated, employment was expanded, and the effect was cumulatively beneficial. .The helpful effect which this policy has had on industry is evidence by the fact that the value of factory production increased c by 26.2 per cent, over 1935. "The number of factory employees rose from 94,000 for the year ending March, 1935, tw 124,000 in 1938. "Business people have ajso shared in the Dominion's prosperity. Increased profits earned during 1936 and 1937 by fifty leading New Zealand companies representative of all types of business enterprise amounted to £1,500,000, an increase of 36 per cent, on the total profits earned by them in 1935. During the same period reserves increased by over £1,000,000. "The number of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank increased between -1935 and 1938 by 103,000. The total amount to the credit of depositors has increased by £14,000,000. The average amount per depositor has risen from £60 9s to £68 12s. "In no sphere has th Government's policy had a greater and more beneficent influence than in that of the home. For the first time for many years the possibility of a home instead of a room became a reality to many people. The marriage rate in 1937 is, with the exception of 1920, the highest rate yet recorded. The birth-rate has also gone up. Decent wages, more marriages, more births inevitably mean mofe houses. The Government's policy has therefore been directed to- j wards stimulating building activity with a view to providing houses as quickly as the available labour will permit. The number of building permfts (including houses erected under the State housing scheme) has risen from £4911 for 1935-36 to 6789 for 1937----38 The value of all building operations for 1937-38 comes to over £10 000,000, an increase of 182 per cent, on the 1934-35 figure. Under the State housing scheme, land has been procured in over 100 towns; tenders have been called for 5625 bouses; 1430 of these have been actually completed; more than 5100 men are engaged on housing schemes. "Homes are not possible without houses. The Government will continue to do all that it can to enable mothers and fathers to make homes and enjoy that measure of freedom and security which is now theirs."