THE LABOUR LEADER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 36, 26 January 1932, Page 3

THE LABOUR LEADER

MR. HOLLAND’S TOUR. BULLER ELECTORATE. Creynwuth, Jan. 25. Mr H, E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, is engaged in a tour of the Buller clectorato and at the week-end addressed largely attended meetings at Tirohoa, Blackwater and Waiuta, receiving unanimous votes of thauks and renewed confidence at each place. Speaking to miners at the hall at Waiuta Mr Holland reviewed the legislation of last session and devoted some attention to the forthcoming meeting of Parliament. Ho said it was somewhat peculiar that, while the government was convening an emergency session, no indication whatever was furnished of the nature of the proposals to be submitted for consideration, and members could only make guesses based on tho preelection pronouncements of Cabinet Ministers as to what those would amount to. The Prime Minister had forecast an attack on education and the destruction of the existing Arbitration Court awards and agreements; Mr Coates had suggested the possibility of an addition to the wages tax of another twopence in the pound and further wage reductions; while Mr Downio Stewart had given a magnificent hint that pensions reductions “might at any time become an imperative necessity.’’ These items, if embodied in the Government programme, could only result in accentuating the present difficulties of the Dominion. If they were to constitute part of the programme for the session the fact should bo made known without further delay. Members of Parliament and the country generally should also be made acquainted with the essential features of any proposed new legislation in relation to unemployment, which had become an outstanding problem in the national life of the Dominion; indeed, the real purpose of the session should be a comprehensive rehabilitation policy, with work for the unemployed and restoration of the purchasing power as its central feature. Such a policy would mean the economic salvation of the country and would benefit every section of the community. To persist in making the Government ’s policy a matter af secrecy pending his Excellency’s Speech at the opening of Parliament would certainly not tend to shorten the session.