CO-OPERATION PLEDGED

Evening Star, Issue 23124, 25 November 1938, Page 14

CO-OPERATION PLEDGED

PREMIER’S FRANK TALK WITH LABOUR FEDERATION MEN MUST NOT HOLD UP WORK OF COUNTRY [Special to the 'Star.') WELLINGTON. Nov. 24. If the workers were going to begin by simply voting for Labour candidates and then to hold up the work of the country the Government would not be able to get anywhere, said the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) when addressing the quarterly meeting of the National Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour in Wellington on Tuesday. The meeting was not open to the press, but a report of Mr Savage’s speech was made available later. The Prime Minister emphasised that it was necessary that there should be the fullest co-opera-tion between the Labour Government on the one hand and the workers off the other. The Government, Mr Savage said, had received wonderful assistance from the Federation of Labour and its officers, and he was hoping that that would continue to be the case. He felt that the Government ought to be in the closest touch with the representatives of organised Labour all the time. They had a glorious opportunity in New Zealand to build a wonderful country, but they could not produce wealth simply by turning a handle and printing money. There were enemies both at home and abroad, said Mr Savage, who were prepared to wreck the Government, in the interests of those with other interests to serve. It therefore rested with the workers to see that those people did not make a success of their efforts. No Wage Reductions The Prime Minister said the Government was not going to ask any wage earner to work for less than he was receiving to-day. “We can’t decrease expenditure unless we reduce wages or reduce the number of people receiving wages, and we are not going to do that. I have been telling a number of people that in the past few days.” “ Our job is either to implement our programme or to get out, and we are not going to get out,” I.lr Savage said. “ We are going straight ahead and we want your assistance. If we can increase the, number of people in productive employment in New Zealand our success is assured.” Mr Savage said that the opponents of the Government were still hoping that in the next 12 cr 18 months there would be another election. Just why, he did not know, 'unless it was that they thought they could wreck the Government by causing -inancial difficulties. It was the desire of the Government that it should have the assistance of the workers in getting the best organisation possible to promote the development of secondary industries so that more labour could be employed. Cheap Labour Countries “ The Government,” he added, “ has got to see that its efforts In that direction are not sabotaged by the importation of goods from cheap labour countries. For that purpose there will be a, publicity campaign, not only through the newspapers, but over U,d air as well, and representatives of the industrial movement will be invited to do v their share in influencing public opinion.” If the Government were able to get the advice and the co-operation of all there was no greater certainty in the world than that it ypould be successful in its mission. He said that it would be necessary to employ fewer men on work that was not directly productive and more on the production of consumable goods in the secondary industries. ,No action would be taken by the Government that would interfere with the 'onditions enjoyed by the workers to-day except to improve them, he concluded. The meeting was also addressed by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash. rxedge ' Co-oporation Mr A. McLagan, national president of the federation, said he felt he could pledge the wholehearted co-operation of the members of the National Council of the Federation of I -bour with the Government in any action which it considered necc ary to carry on the affairs of New Zealand. The following motion was carried unanimously:— ” That this meeting of the National Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour congratulates Mr Savage, Mr Nash, and their colleagues on the splendid win of ((he Labour Party in the recent general election, pledges the wholehearted co-operation of the Federation of, Labour in carrying on the administration of the country, and further thanks Mr Savage and Mr Nash for coming along and frankly placing the position of the Government before us.”