The Grey River Argus MONDAY, November 7, 1949. NATIONALIST STATEMENTS

Grey River Argus, 7 November 1949, Page 4

The Grey River Argus MONDAY, November 7, 1949. NATIONALIST STATEMENTS

THE electors doubtless will this

month check up upon the many contradictions which the Nationalist candidates display in their propaganda. Their leader is constantly talking of terrible shortaegs. and, at the same time declaring that price control is unjustifiable when there are goods in plenty. He claims he needs to share the radio at tin* end of the. month to state his policy, bid now that he has over three weeks to do so he will not give the people any idea whatever of the way in which he proposes to deprive very many of them of many millions of money! This, he says, is his strategy. He often speaks of economy, but when it comes to power for the North Island, he says, “cost must not be allowed to stand in the way”; the Auckland steam station should be extended and another steam station be planned for Wellington”. He also wants more plants based on costly oil fuel! Air Holland reckons the Lyttelton watersiders ought to get about half what is to be provided for their amenities; whilst he said some lew years ago the leaders of Iluntly .miners should have been gaoled over a strike, later remarking that miners “live in a hole in the ground and their outlook is not as wide as ours”. He was seconded this year by Air Algie, who declared that “if a striker went to gaol he’d jolly well deserve it”; and by Air J. IL -Marshall. AI.P., who demanded “restriction on use of ’union funds for illegal strikes”. For all this talk, the Alinister of Alines says this year is destined to sec, with the sevenhour day, a record output of coal! As for subsidies, there arc some humorous inconsistencies. Alessrs Holland and Broadfoot have objected to subsidies, the former saying that the farmer gets 2s lb for butler whereas the family gets the butter for Is 6d, and the latter that the real price should not thus be disguised I Air Holland objected to imported wheat at 13s per bushel, and to the subsidies on apples, pears, bacon, milk and clothing. But when it comes 10 land, Air S. AV. Smith, ALP., goes eyes out for subsidies. He said : “The National Party plans that servicemen should be sold land at the 1942 valuation, but that the vendors should get the 1946 valuation —the difference between the two amounts to be found by the State”! Air Algie quite recently asserted that the welfare State was “too costly”; and Air Bodkin, ALP., asked last year if such legislation would be scrapped, replied: “Aly oath, as soon we get a chance”. Air \V. S. Goosman, ALP., urging that men should work after the age of 60, said it would be belter than a pension, and it was desired to impose a basis whereby “all who could work would be macle to do so”! Yet, Air F. Doidge., ALP., said in Parliament lhe Nationalists would not cut pensions, though they would only with anxiety accept responsibility for administering social security. Air Bodkin previously said he had no regrets in having voted, to cut pensions. Air T. P. Shand, ALP., declared: Tim cost, of medical benefits was £3O per family, and he thought people would demand an alteration. Mr J. Alaher, ALP., last year demanded a means test for recipients cd’ the family benefit. He also said it. would not hurt carpenters to work', a 48hour week, while Air Holland this year declared: “Al.oro than hours of labour is the answer, and we must restore the urge to work”. Airs Ross, A1..1?., is on record to the (■ffect that “higher wages and shorter hours have taken, away lhe meaning of the value of money for the younger people, who get things too easily. 1 think the 40-hour week the worst thing

the Government put through I'd l ' the country and women and children”. Air Alarshall. M.P.. recently advocated expansion of the 40-hour week. Earlier he had said: “There should be hard *r work and more of it”. Air Goodman said the 40-hour week must go if the standard of Living was not maintained, but did not say whose standard he had in mind. Air Doidge arged that the fiveday week might not he objectionable, but it ought to be dropped until more houses were built. Tins is lhe gentleman who, when public servants were under discussion. is stated to have quoted 1b? remarks, “Sack the Lot!” Piece work for Public Works employees is the prescription of Air J. K. AlcAlpine, ALP, while his leader is for sacking railwaymen claiming that there is over-staff-ing. Air Shand said it was not a question of how many civil servants his Party would sack, but of getting them into productive occupations. For whom they would be put Io work he did not say. Air Sullivan has warned that a Nationalist Government would “quickly economise” m Government Departments. While Air Watts, AI.P., declared every State house a “nail in the coffin of freedom”, Air /d»i e year said: “I believe Labour’s record in building houses has been a good one”; but Air AV. J. Broadfoot asserted that the housing scheme, was a swindle; and Airs Ross said more people were now badly housed than formerly—when 55,000. houses were found to be below a decent standard —and she urged that the State sell the houses, even if they fell down after 40 years, as some had predicted. Air Holland, though now “on lhe rail” as to import control, said earlier this year that, industries rising behind such control should face competition or die out. He said in 1946 his Party’s attitude was one of “uncompromising hostility to import, control”. Air Doidge once hinted our secondary industries would collapse; but it was eight years ago! lie is no free trader, but wants British manufacturers to have the monopoly of our market. AL’ Smith, however, said some of the now industries were well while, but others should give

place to imports from Britain. All things conosidered, the National Party, if allowed the chance, would recruit in the country an army of unemployed in no time. That is the logical conclusion of their general trend.