THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.

Evening Star, Issue 22873, 3 February 1938, Page 5

THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.

TO THE E TUTOR, Sir, —Many years ago tie patriarcl Jacob, in pronouncing a blessing, or perhaps a curse, on his first-born son, Reuben, said, “ Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.” It seems to me that the mantle of a surety must have come down eventually to the Hon. Adam Hamilton, the leader of the National Party, or rather I ought to say the Garden Party, as he seems to have a special liking for these gatherings in preference to open public assembly. Last night he is reported as having said the Nationalists proposed to abolish the wage tax on women, and he admits few women benefit. He is very late in finding out. I ask in all sincerity why did his Government first impose it and make no attempt to provide for women and juveniles when unemployed. Many years before Mr Hamilton was born a statesman said, “ Taxation without representation was robbery.” Was it fair to differentiate because of sex against those who contributed equally towards the revenue raised to alleviate distress, bub which was handed over lavishly to wealthy persons and companies? Mr Hamilton says he will abolish the tax. The late leader, Mr Forbes, said, should the occasion arise, he would do the same again. Whose policy are. we to accept? What a difference of opinion on woman’s right as held by the National Party and that of New Zealand’s poet, Thomas'Bracken, who wrote thus: — ’Tis woman’s right to wean ns from Our selfishness and greed, A counsellor in trouble, and A faithful friend in need, ’Tis woman’s right to lead us from The foot of Mammon’s throne, And take us to a nobler shrine, Where purer joys are known. Mr Hamilton, who is always singing the praise. of private enterprise and rugged individualism, might some day explain his policy and why there is such an appalling want of homes for industrial heroes and heroines after a quar-ter-century of his party’s government. Time and again Mr Hamilton • taunts the Government with the fact that it had a legacy of £3,000,000 from the previous Government. What I want to know is why, with all that money in hand, I was for years deprived of two • hours’ work on a paltry 31-day week. Mr Hamilton’s policy evidently is in good times to go short and lay by for hard times, and when the latter arrive to go still shorter for worse times to follow. Yet after all I can admire in Mr Hamilton the great fortitude with which he bears other people’s misfortunes, even if he can find “no halm in Gilead.” —I am, etc., Popoffski, February lj