Unfulfilled Promises

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1938, Page 8

Unfulfilled Promises

Accusations that Labour had failed to fulfill several pre-election promises were made by the Hon. Adam Hamilton, National Party leader, during his address in the Town Hall on Saturday. “Reference is always made by Labour to 12 points which had been put before the country,” he said. “Some of these are on the Statute Books and some are in the course of being put into effect. But there are other promises which have not been fulfilled, and which it is not Labour’s intention to fulfil.” Labour had promised to lift the sales tax, said Mr Hamilton. Government supporters always retaliated by asking who had put it on in the first place. This was of no consequence when dealing with a definite promise that it should be lifted. “There was a surplus of £3,1)00,000 in the first year of Labour’s office,” he said. “Why was not this used to abolish the sales tax, which amounted to £2,500,000? Labour will never abolish any taxes, because it is too fond of spending money.”

Failure to lower the exchange rate was another unfulfilled promise, continued Mr Hamilton.

“Unless we are very careful,” he said, “we will find that the rate will have to be raised further instead of being restored to parity. Present indications are very strong in that direction.” Continuing, Mr Hamilton declared that the Labour Party had failed to reduce taxation as it had promised. Cn the contrary, taxation had been increased. Promises of assistance to privatelyowned B radio stations had been reversed when the party came _ into power, declared Mr Hamilton. “Labour stands for national control,” he said. "They don’t stand for private enterprise in radio work, despite the fact that they used that enterprise for their electioneering. When they came into power they turned round and started pushing the private station operators out.”

The fifth promise alleged by Mr Hamilton not to have been fulfilled was that of giving consideration to social credit followers. The Government had come into power behind the backs of those who wanted such a system introduced, but they had done nothing in this respect.