STRONG PROTEST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 166, 13 June 1940, Page 8

STRONG PROTEST

WATERSIDERS’ WAGES. AVAR SACRIFICE BETRAYED. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) AAELLINGTON, June 12. A strong protest against the new conditions for waterside workers was made by-Ahe Leader of the Opposition (Hon. A. Hamilton) this morning., “AVith Elandere Fields stained with the blood of the Allied heroes, with tens of thousands of s our own volunteers trained for a similar supreme sacrifice in the interests of all we hold dear, with the overwhelming majority of non-combatant people in this Dominion stating their readiness to make any voluntary sacrifice asked—a sacrifice which can be almost negligible compared with that freely made by those to whom I have referred—a party Government gives the watersiders of New Zealand an unwarranted increase in wages,” he said. “All the rates are on a peacetime basis of a 40-liour week,” Mr Hamilton continued. “Nothing could be more designed to blast the spontaneity of our war effort. Equality of sacrifice is a mockery. 1 do not believe that the genuine workers in this country will tolerate for a moment such a flagrant breach 'of the spirit of our nation to-day. PUBLIC SUPPORT. “I am as keen as any man to prevent war profiteering among any section, and I bow to no man in that view. I told the House of Representatives and the Government that everything i.n my power would be done to bring to immediate book slackers or the profiteer. All the weight of power politics will not stop me from raising my voice in outrage at this serious development. “I honestly believe that the average working man of New Zealand, from which category I do not exclude any section in the Dominion, does not seek to put a price on patriotism. I am sure the people will join almost unanimously with me in protesting against this initial betrayal of our war sacrifice, genuinely inspired, and which to-day 6eeks but an opportunity, to demonstrate itself. AVhile our soldiers and great groups of workers on our farms, in the bush, and in the cities are making sacrifices willingly, we have this example of complete failure to realise the gravity of this hour. “This is not sacrifice; it is pillage I”