DOMINION’S PROBLEMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 107, 6 April 1932, Page 4

DOMINION’S PROBLEMS

ECONOMIES AND WAGE CUTS. DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 5. A deputation representing tho various Labour and Public Scrvico organisations waited upon tlio Prime Minister this afternoon in connection with tho Government’s proposed further wage reductions anu increasing unemployment taxation. After hearing arguments in favour of State control of currency., repudiation of war debts and the scaling down of other debts, Rfc. Hon. G. W, Forbes replied that the Government would not dishonour its financial obligations. The money available would be used to the best purposes to provide relief for tliosc who wore unemployed and steps would bo taken to include women in tire benefits. ,

The deputation was introduced by Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., who informed the Prime Minister that it had come from the combined conference sitting in Wellington representative of all tho fndustrialorganisations of Now Zealand and some of the Public Service organisations ns well. Mr James Roberts, secretary of the Alliance of Labour, said that the reason for tho conference was the action of the Government in abolishing the compulsory clause of the Arbitration Act and proposing to cut wages further. The rank and file of the workers demanded tho conference as they thought tho policy of tho Government if proceeded with would reduce them to a state of want and penury. What tho conference said was that if wages were reduced now unemployment would jump to 100,000. Tho workers were opposed also in no uncertain way to tho proposal of tho Government to increase unemployment taxation to Is in the £l. Ho advocated the scaling down of interest payments and referred to tho displacement of labour by machinery. The deputation, he said, suggested a reduction of employment to Bo hours per week in order that work should be available for all. The 10 per cent, wage cut should be restored to give greater purchasing power to tho working people. “Rightly or wrongly,” said Air Roberts, “we have come to the conclusion that the banking interests are being looked after and that the overseas moneylenders are getting their due, but we think that the first duty of the Government is to provide for tho economic requirements of its own people. This Government, we consider, is not doing this.” Air J. AlcKenzie, secretary of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association, said that the deputation included representatives of four public services representing well over 40 per cent, of the public servants of New Zealand. “It is just a question,” he said, “how far the Government can test the loyalty of the public ser-

vants.” Air A. Cook, president of the Alliance of Labour. Airs A. Herbert, of Dunedin, and Air E. L. Alcllvride, secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, also spoke. Air Forbes said that deputations were of little use if they meant simply that people came along and made set speeches in order that they might be reported and so form propaganda. Suggestions should he put in writing. The present deputation knew as well ns he did that the income of the coun-

try had been reduced very substan- | tially. No power on earth could sidestep facts and a substantial reduction in incomo meant that there had to be a reduction in expenditure. When it was said that wage reduction had reduced purchasing power and the business' of tho country he would reply that that was a fallacy. If one could bring into- the Dominion £20,000,000 of borrowed money everything would be good. “Well, we have not got it,” said Air Forbes, “and you gentlemen say we should repudiate, that we should refuse to pay our debts.” Air Roberts: Be lair with the dentation. We said war debts. AVe were not talking of tho others. But play fair with tho deputation. Air Forbes said that so long ns he was in tho position of Prime Alinister he was not going to let anyone have ground for saying that the country did not honour its debts. If they wanted

somebody in ihs position who would adopt another course they had better get him. “Give us the opportunity,” called a delegate. “That was a question that was- put to the country at the last election,” Mr Forbes replied. “We said that this Government was to be put in with a free hand and that economics were going to bo made all through. Others said it could be done without any of that, but the people of this country decided it was the proper way.” Mr Forbes said that there had been a good deal of talk about starvation, but no one had said that the purchasing power of wages to-day was equal to what it was in 1929. If the Government believed that the proposals placed before it with regard to currency, credit or such matters were not good ones, was there any reason why it should go against its convictions and adopt what it thought was unsound? “Let them try to prove it,” called a voice. > Mr Forbes: Let them try to prove it and ruin the whole country? Referring to public works, Mr Forbes said that works bad been carried on on money that had been borrowed and

at the present time they were not able to borrow for the purpose. The sourco had dried up and he did not know how they could keep them on unless they increased the unemployment tax. There was no country in the world, Mr Forbes said, that was doing ns much for tho unemployed us New Zealand was doing. Tlw present amount available to the Unemployment Board was not sufficient. They were out to get more money so that they could provide for women as well as men. Tho policy tho Government wns carrying out wns one which is sincerely believed to bo in tho interests of overy class in tho country. Unsound schemes which had been promulgated would land tho country in ten times greater disnstor. The Government was bound to do all it could for everyone and to pay its way, and it intended to do all it could to keep tho finances sound and stnblo.

Air Holland expressed to Air Forbes the thanks of the deputation for having allowed thorn to come and place tlioir views before him.