FRUITS OF POLICY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20625, 28 November 1941, Page 4

FRUITS OF POLICY

“WORKERS BADLY OFF’

LABOUR'S ADMISSIONS MR. SULLIVAN’S CAMPAIGN “It is hardly necessary l’or me to come back and talk to you,” said Mr. W. Sullivan, National candidate in the Bay of Plenty by-election, speaking in Tolaga Bay last night, "as Mr. A. McLagan, president of the Federation of Labour, has been saying how badly off the workers are to-day on account of rising prices, which got out of hand well before the war started, while the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, Minister of Health, has been kind enough to admit that the Government has made many mistakes.” Mr. Sullivan said that what the Labour Party was asking the Bay ol Plenty electors to do was to give them license to go ahead ancl make a whole series of additional mistakes at the expense of the public. He referred to the warning given to the Government four years ago by the “Four Colonels,” whose advice was not heeded, while because of their temerity in drawing attention to the inadequacy of the country's defences they were summarily placed on the retired list. Despite this, all of them, with the exception of Colonel Spragg, who died two years ago, had given valuable service in the present war. Soldiers’ Remittances Mr. Sullivan also mentioned the “Nathan incident” in Wellington, when a prominent citizen standing in opposition to the Labour ticket in the municipal elections was “held up” in his own office by live prominent union secretaries and threatened. He attacked the Government’s failure to provide more generously for remittances to soldiers and other fighting men serving overseas, stating that because of the Government’s extravagance and mismanagement people were not permitted to send to our fighting men amounts in excess of the limited sum prescribed by the Government.

Mr. Sullivan also dealt with the need for a progressive land policy and more population. He was thanked, on the motion of Mr. J. Robieson, seconded by Mr. H. R. Irving. The chairman was Mr. J. McNeil. Mr. Sullivan also addressed a meeting in Whangara in the afternoon, when there was a remarkably good attendance. The chairman was Mr. T. Fraser, and a vote of thanks to the speaker was proposed by Mr. Fraser and seconded by Mr. S. D. Reeves.