HON. R. SEMPLE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1938, Page 5

HON. R. SEMPLE

SPEECH AT FAIRLIE ATTACKS NATIONALISTS POLICY. (Per Press Association—Copyright). CHRISTCHURCH. June 21. “Retrenchment is the only alternative to the policy of expansion, initiated by tho present Government, and re-' trenchment is a basic principle upon which the National Party will contest the general election,” said Hon. R. Semple in an address at Fairlie last night.

Mr Semple added that it did not require a mind of anything more than the average penetrative power, to see what was at the back of the thinly veiled policy of the National Party. Tts leader, Mr Hamilton, had rooeatedly told the people that wages were too high and that too many public works had been put in hand. He had not openly declared that his party would reduce wages, but cruel as were the wage cuts imposed by his party when it was last in power, an even more cruel and cowardly method of forcing wages down had been devised, and would certainly he nut into operation if the National Party ever again became the Government. Under that retrograde policy of retrenchment, pub- , lie works would cease, industry would be hold up and thousands of men wouldbe thrown back on the labour market io compete amongst themselves for a smal- ■ ler number of jobs that would be offering.

The restoration of wages had helped materially to bring back tbe nation’s prosperity, but to-day tbe country was once more being asked to return to lower wages and stifled industry under the guise of retrenchment, which would probably be called an economic necessity. Labour would be artificially forced no in excess of tb*> demand and reduced wages would follow as naturally as night followed dav. The effect of this policy would be felt in farming districts as well as towns. Not. all fanner wore exporters. Many of them depended for their living on the internal market or in other words, upon the purchasing power of the people of the cities, if that was destroyed the farmer would he destroyed-with'it-Compensated price meant nothing more 'than Hint the farmer would hare to take what be could get.. He was being asked to accept it instead of tile guaranteed price offered by the Government. •• •

“During tbe past three months. I have addressed thirty-four meetings, mainly in farming centres, and T have not. heard a single complaint, azam=t the i gnaran***e'fW p*>w*wiiM dmiared Ain* Semple. A big noise is coming from individuals who do not represent farming opinion. The sane farmer who can appreciate the value of economic security. will never go back to raffert.y rules. Tt is too much to ask him to throw away security and accept something that has no economic foundation, and i which no one has yet been able to ex- J plain. | “The principle of guaranteed price now operating in the dairying industry can be applied to other branches of farming, and as long as the i- • <mr Government is in power, all farmers will have the prospect that they will be brought under its protection, |