UNITEDS’ POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10738, 8 November 1928, Page 5

UNITEDS’ POLICY.

DEFENDED BY MR MASTERS

ORGY OF MISREPRESENTATION \./ ■ • ■ T ' V MOTION OF NO-CONFIDENCE IN government fPrees Asaoolatlou.j , ■ STRATFORD. Nov. ,7. Mr Robert Masters, chairman of the. United 1 Party, delivered an address here to-night in reply to a recent address by. thd Prime Minister. ’

In regard to tho proposal to borrow £70,000,000, an orgy of misrepresentation had, ho said, taken place• right throughout the Dominion on the part: of'both Ministers and candidates of the Reform Party, together with the press, first of all in regard to the period in which it was going to be borrowed and loaned and, secondly, as to the soundness of the scheme. The criticism levelled at Sir J. Ward’s proposals was merely the criticism levelled by the same party when the State, Advances office was- first instituted, when it was termed by tho Reform party as”a State pawnshop”. There could be no doubt that the pressing need of the farming community to-day was as sured finance at the lowest possible rate. of interest. Short date mortgages at a high rate was his continual dread. The Reform party had failed to meet the needs of the .country in this respect and it would appear from the statement made by the Minister of Finance in the House on July 18 that primary producers had nothing to hope for until such time as Public Works and other constructions were completed. Replying to a question asked by the member for Palmerston North, urging the provision of more money for settlers and workers, the Hon. Downie Stewart had stated that his trouble was that there was, such a tremendous programme of public works iii progress—railway, shops, irrigation works, hydro-electric schemes, railway improvement schemes—that his efforts were strained to the utmost to cope with this expenditure. Included in the next programme of- works, said Mr Stewart, wei’e large railway workshops in the' four principal centres. Speaking of the hydro-electric schemes he said it was constantly necessary to make considerable sums available and, in conclusion, he said, in view of all these works, it was very difficult to find all the money members required to be placed in the State Advances offices for farmers. It was quite apparent, said Mr Masters, that the farming community had nothing to hope in the next few years from the Reform Government in this direction and their salvation rested on the policy laid down by Sir J. Ward to provide, if required, at least 60 .millions for the specific purpose of providing assumed finance at reasonable rates for a definite period of thirtytwo and a-half years. Out of the eight millions odd borrowed by the Government during the pa-st year only £BBO,OOO had been set aside for the , State Advances office and this included a sum to start the. rural advances branch. The amount loaned to settlers in 1928 was two million odd less than in 1927 and tho amountloaned to workers was, approximately, one million less. If the present apathy in regard to this great question was allowed to continue, then, instead of settlers having to wait as at present over two years to get applications dealt with it would appear that they would have to wait for a very indefinite period in future Mr Masters alleged that the plank of the Reform platform at the last election to place taxation on those best able to bear it had not been honored. While the income tax had. been reduced by nearly three millions during the last ten_ years, Customs taxation had been increased by an equal amount. Those best able to bear taxation were being -freed, while those least able to bear it had the increased burden placed on them. Mr Stewart, in the Budget, had said, referring to direct taxation. that the income, on he individual in New Zealand was the lowest in the world, yet a distinct and definite promise was made at the last election that taxation would he placed on those most able to bear it. The wealthy squatters who were ir-ifinds and of- -Reform having net incomes of-anything from £IO,OOO to £IOO,OOO annually, were absolutelv immune from anything in the nature of income tax. While we still had a .war debt of 72. millions costing three and a-half millions in interest ainnually, these Squatters, to protect whose property the war was fought, were, not contributing anything through income tax. If the United Party were returned to power these individuals would pay. a fair and full share of the taxation of the country. . . * One of the first considerations of the United party would ,he an improvement in the conditions of the worker as regards medical attention under the Workers Compensation Act. New Zealand formerly prided itself as being in the van of pro gross as regards humanitarian legislation hut. to-day, she was behind almost every other country of the world. It was the intention of. tho United Party, said Mr Masters, to provide adequate medical expenses and such medical and surgical aid, hospital and skilled treatment, as may be necessary to the worker, who meets with misfortune while at his work.' Employers in New Zealand were paying sufficient in' premiums to meet such demands,' but the workers were not receiving -the proportion due to them. In the main, too great a proportion was used in commissioners’ wages, salaries, overhead expenses and dividends. The United, Party would give relief to workers in this connection at the earliest, possible moment. The, speaker dealt at some length with the appointment of Mr Sterling as general manager of the Railways Department. He had no quarrel whatever with the appointment, nor with, the salary, believing as he did, , that Mr Sterling was a thoroughly capable man. He believed. and hoped, that Mr. Sterling would 1 make good in the job. However; he had 1 a very distinct and de- . finite objection to the . arrangement made by the Premier in providing superannuation of £2300 per annum, which, in his opinion, was far from being justified in view of the heavy demands on the fund during the past four years. The Government paid £308,000 to stabilise, the fund and an actuarial valuation of the Public Service Superannuation Fund showed that- it was now necessary to msike a subsidy of £460,000 to ensure the stability of the fund. Unless more prudent and’ business-like attention was given, the time was not far distance when the people of New Zealand! would.rise up.and protest against huge sums having to-cfe paid out of the Consolidated Fund which, after all, was the result of the taxation of the people, towards providing extravagant pensions for highly paid officers, \ ! ' . Mr Masters .expressed approval or Sir J. Ward’s policy and as regards the businesslike manner in which he proposed to construct the main lilies of the Dominion, also the definite statement made in regard to putting ah end ■to the . construction ot any brarioh lines in any'.part' oU the Dominion. In spite of the fact "tliat £446,000 had to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund to make up losses oh branch lines in- 1926-27, ahd £489,000 in 1927-28, the Government continued with tho construction .of branch lines and the authorisation of additional ones. -