NO NEED TO STOP WORK.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 May 1938, Page 6

NO NEED TO STOP WORK.

MANY PEOPLE FIT AT 60.

INTERLUDES WITH MR. MULHOLLAND.

(By Telegraph —Press Association.

WELLINGTON, Last Night,

"The Government is going to put its health and pensions proposals into effect daring the coming session. They tell us we are going too fast and too far. I didn't come down in the last shower. It seems to me we haven't gone very fast. I don't think 80s a week is too much for the men and women who helped to build this country," said Mr. Savage during the cross-examination following the presentation of the Farmers' Union case to the special Parliamentary Committee this afternoon. "I didn't say shillings in the pound on income was the last word at all," the Prime Minister continued. "I was accused by the Farmers’ Union in their statement of saying that income would rise. I didn’t say that, but I did ask the actuary if it was not reasonable to suppose that production would increase at the same, if not at a greater, rate as the cost of this scheme. It is up to us to see that income rises. The farmers shouldn't need to be told that. "Income should be a reflection of production,- but it never has been. We have come into power to make it that. Don't try to harness us to orthodox methods, because w t c are going to kick over the traces, that’s all. I am satisfied the farmers will throw their hats into the air when this is the huv of the land."

Mr. Savage, addressing Mr. Mulholland, said the Fanners’ Union statement seemed to be in opposition to the scheme from beginning to end. “No, not from beginning to end,’’ replied Mr. Mulholland. “It leaves very little in favour, anyway,” said Mr. Savage. “How many farmers who walked off their properties during the depression would have been glad to get £3 a week for themselves and their wives? 1 know a few.”

“Yes; I do, too,” Mr. Savage: The men who put the savings of a lifetime into their farms walked off with nothing to fall back on except the old age pension, which we propose to lift from 22s Gd to 30s a week. You say in your statement: A number of these proposals will have the effect of keeping in idleness people who are physically 'well able to provide for themselves. That sounds to me very much like opposition to the whole thing Who are the physically lit people that wo are going to keep in idleness? We don’t want to see anv of them idle—

“There are a lot of people still fit at GO,” Mr. Mulholland replied.

Mr. Savage said the Government’s plan would not compel anybody to knock off at (ill. Guaranteeing a man and his wife £.*! a week was the greatest insurance ud'ering in the world to-day. The Government wanted to go the whole distance, hut that would cost between £8,000,000 and £9.000,0(10. “What is the use of talking about being our brother’s keeper unless wo arc prepared to put our words into deeds?” asked Mr. Savage. “These things can and will bo carried out.

“I am accused in the newspapers of saying that it doesn’t matter what the committee says—we arc going to put the scheme into operation. I have never said anything like that. I have said that we are going to protect the poor people of this country and that we are going to give them a better run than in the past. If this committee can help us wo will be glad, but we arc not going to allow anyone to stop ns. We have the authority of the people*to do that.” Mr/ Kyle: I thought you had authority to abolish the sales tax? Mr. Savage: I had nothing to do with that. The honourable gentleman who

foolishly interjects was responsible for the sales tax. The Prime Minister wont on to say that the Government had to decide what they could pay with New Zealand’s production. “We have got to think whether it is possible for us to continue to increase that production. We say we can and that we are not going to be harnessed to the chariot wheels of other countries liuancially. ”

Mr, Mulholland said he did not sec how the Government’s scheme -was going to get over the impact of a slump. 1 Mr. Savage: This won’t get over it alone. We have other things to be considered, too. The money system of the future will have to find its way r into duTm-ent pockets or more into the pockets of the poor than in the past. Our mission is among the poor. Hon. W. Nash .mid the Farmers’ Union statement was the greatest anti document he had ever read. .Mr. .Mulholland said all, the farmers were concerned about was to see that the proposals were kept within the bounds of economic possibilities.