Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 19 July 1938, Page 6

Readers Write

Mr G. W. Bennett, in Saturday’s “Advocate,” quotes a few lines, drawing attention of your readers to a re-

port from the LABOUR AND “Standard” of April LOYALTY. 28. 1938, re singing of the “Red Flag” and “Auld Lang Syne” at the conclusion of the Labour -Party Conference last Piaster.

If Mr Bennett is a regular subscrib- i or to the “Advocate,” or any other: leading newspaper circulating in Auckland Province, he would have i had no need to have waited so long ] to only just discover the little bit of' news which he quoted. It is hard to - understand how Mr Bennett has only' now received the “Standard” of April' 28 last. | Taxpayers of New Zealand have no - idea where the former ‘Government [ of New Zealand obtained the money' to pay retired high-salaried civil ■ servants compensated, superannuated! pensions. Probably Mr Bennett can' enlighten the taxpayers, of New Zea- ■ land where the money came from. I should like to mention to Mr Ben-! nett and other readers of the “Advo-' cate” an incident of the loyalty of one - person in Whangarei. This indivi-! dual, who is not a member of the! New Zealand Labour Party, was 1 standing at the back of a large crowd opposite the Town Hall during the! singing of the National Anthem, and asked if his friends would excuse him for not removing his hat, as it was a very cold day and he had a severe cold.” What a contrast to the thousands of wage-earn-ers and others who willingly gave their lives for Queen, King and country during the Boer and World Wars, to say nothing of the many wounded. “I have no doubt if the same thing happens today members of the New Zealand Labour Party, as well as members of other political parties, would be quite willing to make the same loyal and noble sacrifice as others did in the past, while loud speakers standing on the kerb would make their sacrifices by cheering the boys away. Deeds speak, not words. In conclusion I recommend the following lines to Mr Bennett to memorise: And when the Master calls the score, Then marks against your name, It’s not so much whether you won or lost, But how did you play the game. —R. H. ALLAN,

In reply to “Keep to Facts”: he suggests that I leave Russia alone. I am only too willing to do so if Messrs Savage, Nash and Co. COSTS AND will do the same. They

BUTTER. are far too interested in the fanatical ideals of that country for the economic safety of this one. He next states that the reduction of interest rates during the regime of the last Government was of no value to the farmers, because none of them paid any interest at all. I think this statement is an insult to those men who faithfully paid their interest without a single default. I can show him quite a number who come under this category. He states that my estimate of 25 per cent, increase in the cost of living is erroneous. If he cares to come here, I can show him receipts that will prove I am not far out. Naturally, I am only conversant with my own costs, so I cannot quote the costs of anyone else. “Keep to Facts” next says my estimate of £1,500,000 surplus in the dairy industry account is wrong. He does say, however, that those within the industry anticipate that profit if prices remain buoyant. I would like to point out to “Keep to Facts” that any suggestion by members of the Opposition that prices might fall has been laughed to scorn by the Labour Party, so they evidently expect that surplus. I think the suggestion of “Worker’s Wife” that relief appeals are only Nationalist propaganda is the most fantastic statement I have ever heard. I have no doubt that the organisations concerned will be delighted to hear that they are primarily propagandists for the National Party. “Worker’s Wife” concludes by saying that the workers know which side their bread is buttered. I have no doubt they do, and I don’t mind how thick the butter is, but I and my fellow farmers do object to paying a compulsory subsidy towards that same butter. On the wage scale today, the consuming public should be able to pay London parity for their butter.—ARTHUR FLOWER (Maungaturoto).