LABOUR’S POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 401, 19 May 1922, Page 3

LABOUR’S POLICY.

ADDRESS BY MR 11. E. HOLLAND, M.P. GETTING READY FOR THE ELECTIONS. The platform of the Now Zealand Parliamentary Labour Party was outlined by its leader, Mr 11. E. Holland, to a largo audience in the Empire Hull last evening. Mr V. A. Christensen, Labour’s selected candidate for the Palmerston electorate, who was in the chair, said that Mr Holland was engaged in a Dominion tour, expounding his party’s policy in connection with the forthcoming elections. The speaker then proceeded to abuse the allegedly capitalistic press of New Zealand, and concluded by saying that Mr Holland, who was “tho statesman of the Now Zealand Parliament,” was a much-maligned man. Air Holland, who was received with applause, said that his mission was to carry the message of labour from one end of Now Zealand to the pthcr and to unite till labour interests. Continuing, he said that the Labour Party, being a new one, was subjected to all kinds of abuse and misrepresentation. There were two main parties to-day in New Zealand politics—tho Government, faithfully representing capitalistic interests, and tho Parliamentary Labour Party, faithfully representing the workers’ interests. In between the two were tho remnants of the old Liberal Party, now reconstructed under the title “United Progressive Liberal-Labour Party,” and so deplorable was its position that it had not dared to give a pair to the Government, because it never knew tho day or the hour when it would have to go into the lobby and vote with Air Massey against Labour. Over and over again last session the oflicial Opposition had flocked in a body into the Government lobbies, and again there had been occasions when the whole of them bolted from the chamber so as not to have to vote. Indeed, in a word, but for the eight Labour members in the House, there would be no serious opposition to the Alinisterial benches. This had been borne out in the results of the non-confidence motions and other voles last session when the Liberal Party had allied itself with the Government. COAL IMPORTATIONS,

Mr Holland contended that the Government's coal importation policy was ruinous to the country. New Zealand could export hundreds of thousands of tons of good coal every year, and yet the Massey Government had been importing coal, in round figures, at the rate of a million tons a year. No sensible person would think of purchasing coal at the prices paid by the Government. The speaker emphasised the dangerous nature of the miners’ calling and said if the latter were paid Jive times their present rate they would still bo underpaid. The Government had paid £6 17s 9d a ton for Japanese coal, £6 6s for American, £4 5s for Welsh and about £3 a ion for Australian when it could land (he best West Coast coal in Wellington at from £2 to £2 5s per ton. While the Government would light the miners if the latter asked for an increase of 3d per ton in tho hewing rate, it would cheerfully pay well over £4 more per ton for foreign coal than was asked for New Zealand coal. When he liad sought to -seek information in the 1 Louse about the cost of a certain shipment of coal—reported to have been £2O per ton—he was told that ho was “fishing for information” that he was not going to get. The Government’s allegation that the New Zealand minors had gone slow was a gross slander. As a matter of fact official statistics showed that in the war years the. New Zealand miners had put up a world record in coal production per head. '1 ho reduction in the number of miners workingin the mines was duo to the war and the housing conditions in the mining townships. Touching on another Mr Holland twitted the Government with having granted rebates of 10 per cent, and 5 per cent, to the land and' income taxpayers respectively. This meant that the relief only went to those who were able to pay. Mr Massey had in this way handed half a million to the big men, and replenished the Treasury by means of an increase in the Customs duty at the cost of the small men. Increased duties had been placed on innumerable necessaries of life, and yet diamonds were admitted duty free. The small farmer, who was in much the same position as the working man, was being bard hit by mdirx>ct taxation, but in most cases he could not see it. THE SALARIES CUT.

Not content -vviih increasing' the Customs duties, Mr Massey lm<l -sot about mincing iho civil servants’ wages, because lie had no money.” His accounts, showed that tit the end of the financial year 1920-21 ho had a cash balance of over £6,000,000, being part of the accumulated surpluses to the amount of about £24,000,000. Yet there was no money to pay anybody, A\ hero had Iho millions gone to? The idea was to make up this deficiency by reducing the salaries ol iho civil servants; thus live per cent, of the population were asked to hear the whole brunt of the economies. If the Government had wished to cut down salaries why did it not start with the ‘‘heads’ ? iet what had happened? Mr Massey had cut down his own salary by 10 per cent., leaving himself £IBOO a year, and reduced the salary of 11 io ordinary members of Parliament by 10 per cent., leaving them £450, out of which they had to pay travelling expenses iiml living costs while in Wellington. The Labour members had not resisted the cut in their own salaries, but (hey had rightly contended that if wages wore lo be cut a start should bo made with the salary of the Governor-General, with a £2,000,000 cut. Similarly, the Labour Party wished lo bring [he. salaries of the judges under the scope of the salary reductions, but were informed by Mr Massey that under the constitution such a step was impossible. Put the wageearners on a similar footing and there would bo no more strikes in New Zealand. (Laughter), When the Salary Reduction Rill was before the House the Labour Party had contested every clause and was defeated on every division. ' The Government forced (he measure through and then tabled the Arbitration Amendment Bill _ designed to attack iho wages of men in private employment. Among the clauses in the original Bill was one taking away the railway servant from the Court, and another gave the Court the right to reduce wages without hearing the parties. These and certain other features had been killed in the House Ij v iho Labour Party, so that while the Bill emerged a laid Bill,' it had been immensely Worse in its original form. MR. HOLLAND'S PREDICTION.

One cut in the wages of civil .servants had been already made; the second cut was to bo made almost immediately, and the third was due directly after the elections. Iho speaker predicted that, before the election dime, Air Massey would discover (hut the third was not necessary. '1 ben when ho got Hie election over, if the Labour Party failed to make it most .significant' advance, there would probably he introduced into the House a proposal to extend the life of Parliament for live years; and on top ol that

1 hey would see (lie greatest offensive ever launched agtinst the wages of tlie working man of New Zealand. Passing on, Mr Holland said Unit the New South's Wales Government was defeated solely by .the sectarian issue, and ho named hb audience against the introduction of a similar issue at the New Zealand elections. An attempt would undoubtedly bo made to divide the workers on the question, whereas there was no sincerity behind the movement.

Coming to tho land question, Air Holland refuted tho allegation that ihe Labour Party wen the enemies of tho farmers. Ho emphasised—and in this connection he quoted figures—that numbers of dairy farmers, including many returned soldier settlers, were carrying heavy mortgages on their properties. At the moment there was something like £200,000,000 worth of mortgages registered in New Zealand, and yet the opponents of the Labour Parly tried to make out that it was the high cost of labour that was ruining the fanners. With a view to remedying matters, Ihe Labour Party’s land policy was one that would make occupancy and use of the land ihe solo right for holding tho same. This tenure would secure to tho community all (he values created by the community and would at tho same time secure to tho man on the land all his improvements. The money lender, the speculator and the land agent would all be done away with under Labour’s land policy, and a State bank woidtl provide the money required, not only by the agricultural industry, but also by the various State undertakings and local bodies. It would do this by putting ihe public credit behind (ho Stale note issue, instead of behind the note issue of private banks. VARIOUS PLANKS. Speaking generally, Mr Holland said that In’s party stood for State shipping, for increased widows’ pensions, increased miners’ phthisis pensions, increased old age pensions and pensions for the blind. Referring to ethical inn, ho advocated free school Looks, erection of school buildings with “some pretension to the artistic eye,” the provision of more pictures on tho walls, (he special training of teachers to make them leel (hat they were the comrades of the children, not drivers of the children, free education front kindergarten to the university, and_tho use of moving pictures as a means of inculcating in (he children a love of the scenic beauties of their own country. This was true patriotism; but saluting the flag and tho like would be cut out. The Labour Party was opposed to the Government’s present immigration policy, but it would not oppose immigration provided the immigrants were guaranteed that on arrival they would bo provided with a decent house and given permanent employment without displacing any New Zealand workers. Aft- Holland concluded by paying a tribute to the work of the Baliauco and Beddon administrations, and ridiculing their present-day descendants, the official Opposition Party, who wore but: a weak shadow of the past.

In answer to a question, Air Holland who, at (he conclusion of his address, was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, said that the Labour Party stood for proportional representation.