PREMIER’S REPLY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 182, 3 July 1936, Page 2

PREMIER’S REPLY

TO OPPOSITION CRITICS. “THE NEW TYRANNY.” Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 2. “I think the leader of the previous Government should ho the last man in New Zealand to talk about penalising the people or about the new tyranny,” said tbe Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) in an interview to-night, when commenting on the criticism of the Labour Government’s policy voiced at Auckland by tbe Leader of the Opposition (Hon. G. W. Forbes.) “When it conies to preserving the rights and savings of the people this Government will compare more than favourably with the last. By deliberate Acts of Parliament by previous Government destroyed well over £IOO,000,000 on the wages of the people. The people did not have any chance to put the money into the banks. It was simply taken away from them deliberately by legislation which wo as the Opposition then opposed. Tho savings which are already invested in the people’s bank are guaranteed by the State. The whole of the assets of the State are behind the savings bank deposits. That will always be tho case, and instead of the Leader of the Opposition casting suspicion on the Governoment and trying to create ill-will and panic among people about their savings, it would not be too much to expect from him that lie should confine himself to the actual facts of tho situation. “The Leader of the Opposition refers to the welfare of children. Ho was not so much concerned with the welfare of children when ho was head of a Government which made it impossible for five-year-old children to lie admitted to the Stato schools. It is only since this Government has come into power that these children have been able to get into the schools.” The Labour Government was just as well able to handle big issues as its predecessors, Mr Savage continued. Mr Forbes had spoken of the “new tyranny” in New Zealand, but they had oniy to look at the Public Service to see that it was not a new tyranny, and it was only since the now Government came into power that public servants could express themselves directly and play an in; telligent part in the government of their own country. It was a misstatement of tbe position to say that every man had to join a union and unions could he called on to subscribe to the funds of tho Labour Party. Men were wanted in unions not only to protect tbe advantages already gained but to help in the intelligent development and control of industry. It was for the ur.Vns to decide what political party they were affiliated with. It was pure unadulterated rubbish for Mr Forbes to say the Labour Party could call up half a million pounds to assist them in their political campaign. What Labour bad in the way of political funds always would be small compared with that of their opponents. FEELING OF UNCERTAINTY. COMMENT BY MR FORBES. AUCKLAND, July 2. “There is a feeling of uncertainty abroad,” said Mr Forbes, in an interview before bis departure irony Auckland. “During the two days i spent in Auckland many businessmen expressed to me tbe opinion that they did not know bow tilings would ultimately turn- out.” Tbe conditions under which the average employer bad to conduct bis business encouraged tbe feeling of uncertainty, said Mr Forbes, and many felt they would be thrown out of their stride with the extra ! charges to be imposed upon them. They seemed downhearted, lie stated, “for they felt that having got our. of the depression and having ma.Ti up some ot th* Irpwry, they looked forwaid to a ptri id of better times instead of being loaded with extra expense as seems inevitable. Altogether the position is very unsatisfactory. - ’