MR. MANSFORD AT THE OPERA HOUSE

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 222, 18 September 1943, Page 6

MR. MANSFORD AT THE OPERA HOUSE

(Continued from page 5) do sufficiently conveys my condemnation of a government which was a party to such a proposal,” Mr. Mansford added. “I am most strongly opposed to sending married men out of this country whilst, we have got over 30,00 i) single fit men in this Dominion,’ * the candidate declared amidst applause. ”1 do not want to hear what indispensable positions they are holding. It has nearly broken my heart to farewell men with two and three children whose ages ranged up to II and 12 years of age, and to know that single lit men were holding down what is considered some essential position. ’ ’ Mr. Mansford likened the conscientious objector camps to rest homes and said the control was not what it ought to be. If a man would not fight he should be disfranchised. Speaking of the soldier’s pay, he said he had nothing to say against increases to the men, but he was right up against colonels receiving £BSO per year free of taxes, getting another £250 a year and some of them 1 ‘ sitting on cushy jobs knowing they will never go out of this country.' ’ The candidate complained at the haste at which the Land Sales and Soldiers’ Settlement Act had been pushed through Parliament in the dying hours of the session. Policy of the Government The present Government by peaceful and clever tactics, was substituting State for private enterprise. As the Government took control of the various industries, it was a further instalment of the nationalisation of industry, and the more trades and the more businesses; coming under the State, so much nearci was the day when the State would control everything. The late Mr. Savage in October, 1935, extensively criticisec the raising of exchange, saying that it subsidised the exporters, but create: greater difficulties for the importers The rate of exchange had to be lowerec not suddenly but slowly. The Laboui Party’s proposal of guaranteed price; was not to be used in conjunction wit! high exchange, but to replace it. So fai they have refused to do so and they boast they had carried out theii pledges.. Mr. Savage had also said thathe people were staggering under taxa tion and that the Labour Party wouk reduce taxes. What had they done They had increased taxes until Neu Zealand was the heaviest taxed country in the world. Behind closed doors thes? socialist Cabinet Ministers wero weaving their webs silently and cleverly Every Act they were putting through was designed with the one objective in view, namely the nationalising of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Secondary Industries Mr. Mansford said the Dominion must have secondary industries for no country could live on primary industries alone. Further, it was necessary to sec that the goods were delivered, lie granted that certain phases of secondary industry would require protection, but it would be justified. The life-blood of secondary industries, however, was hydro-electric power and Mr. Mansford criticised Hon. R. Semple for not having foreseen the great demand that would be made on electricity. Further, the charge should be uniform throughout the North Island. The Civil Service Mr, Mansford drew attention to discrepancies in the pay of the Police Force, showing that the men with shorter service received a greater increase than the men with years to their credit. The policeman with three years 1 service was given a rise of 7s Bd, whereas the policeman with from 14 to 20 years’ service only got 3s extra. The scale of pay of civil servants wanted a thorough overhaul especially when one recalled that Mr. J. Roberts received £1250 per annum. The whole position was so unjust that it made one dis gusted. A practice had crept in lately, no doubt as a result of the war, in which'those arriving at the retiring age were being kept on to the detriment oi those immediately under them. That penalised efficient ai ; faithful servants and was quite wrong. Those arriving

at the Retiring age should automatically go on superannuation and those due to take their place appointed. If the Government wanted to retain the service of the retired or retiring officr, it could be done subject to some arrangement or agreement. If a railway employee left the service before completing his full > ! term, he did not get what he paid in, I for there was a reduction of 1 per cent. I The Department received interest ou I his money and then deducted 1 per cent. 0 from the total. If a railway employee L _ I refused a transfer, which he might do ; for domestic reasons, he lost all chance e 1 of promotion for two years, i. I State Housing 3- Mr. Mansford complained at the lack ?• of State houses in Talmerston North. -• Since 1935, private enterprise had built n 468 dwellings and the Government 39-1. - The Government had failed in the numc ber of buildings erected. The Prime s j Minister had blamed the war, but that was evading the position because men had been working in Palmerston North ! on a picture theatre, the Post Office, at Massey College and elsewhere. Those c works" could have waited. Mr. Maus j ford said he was prepared to give a State tenant the right to acquire the freehold. e Other Matters ,r Mr. Mansford said he was in favour y of reducing the annual radio license f fee. He was opposed to the unfair use of the broadcasting stations for politi- © cal purposes and Sunday nights should d be free of political propaganda. n He was in favour of more generous S payments to old age pensioners and more liberal conditions in regard to what pensioners could earn during the II year. g He would put the education profesie sion in the forefront, is He would favour increasing public Lt works when private enterprise was d slackening, but tapering it off when is primary enterprise picked up. ir He thought the control of the Reserve a- Bank should be removed from political 'e domination and advocated that it id should be (,*ontrolled by a Board comit posed of representatives from primary »d and secondary industries, importers, s. trade unions, bankers and economists. ;d He was in favour of reducing the ir sales tax and eventually repealing it as es it fell most heavily on the man with „h the lju-gest family. ir Mr. Mansford said he was opposed to iy Ministers of the Crown being appointed, ir who had not been elected by the it people. He was opposed also to any a- form of control or interference with Id legislation from any section outside i? Parliament. w Domestic service must bo placed ou •y a different qilane with improved pay ?e and conditions. The pay and conditions v- of nursing also needed revision. War y. damage insurance should cease with the [li premiums returned to those who paid n them. If a National emergency fund Le was needed, then let it be created with d everyone contributing. The Choice The choice before the electors was n bureaucratic control or private enter--0 prise. Since 1935, the State had en--5S croaclied more and more on the liberty !e of the individual. The Government was 0 constantly introducing legislation to deprive citizens of ono liberty' after another and particularly one of the _ liberties most essential to our wellbeing, economic liberty. There teemed y a deliberate effort on the part of the Government to abolish private property and to eliminate profit as a motive for v > effort. “Wo need to-day the spirit of 1 ‘ our own pioneers and those pion. iof Great Britain, who built up by a system of freedom and private enterprise, the *' greatest Empire the world has ever e seen,” Mr. Mansford said. “Let us 11 then as free men and women assert our l " rights and sav this bureaucratic control r must stop before economic chains are J’ forged which can only bring misery and ruiii, to everyone, but mostly to the 0 workers 1 . ’ ’ c Mr. F. Jackson was chairman. a e NIP COLD GERMS IN THE BUD. At the very first hint' of a chill, u cough, cold, or chestiness, take Bettle’s 3 I.ightning Cough Cure. -It quickly' gets i r > into direct contact with the affected 11 membranes, expels phlegm and eases the 1 breathing. Safe for old and young >f alike. Bettle’s Lightning Cough Cure, it prepared by George Bottle, Chemist, ts 769 Colombo Street, Christchurch and g sold by your chemist or store.