N.Z. LABOUR PARTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 June 1924, Page 4

N.Z. LABOUR PARTY

ITS POLICY EXPLAINED Mr H. K. Combs, of Wellington, secretary of the Post and Telegraph Association, delivered an address at tho Theatre Royal last evening in the interests of the Labour Party, at the same time replying to Mr H; Atmore’s and other Liberal speakers’ “gross misrepresentation of Labour’s platform and policy.” The Mayor of Nelson (Mr W. Lock) presided and there was a good attendance although the building was not by any means full.

In introducing the speaker, the chairman said he presided at all political meetings as Mayor -of the city and not as a partisan. He appealed for a fair and impartial hearing for (Mr Combs; and wont on to say that lie was pleased that tho three political parties were taking the platform so early and giving their views on political questions. Did it mean an early election? The Mayor then announced that questions would he answered at the close of the meeting. Mr Combs, who was well received, said he wanted to make it clear that although he was secretary of the P. and T Association and the New Zealand Rugby Union was on the platform as n member of the New Zealand Labour Party, and as such had been invited to give an address on the party’s policy. He wished also to make it clear that the policy was not the policy of the few men who were its leaders, hut was the policy of the labour movement as set out at the last conference of delegates from the various organisations. That was where the New Zealand Labour Party was different from the other political parties. Anyone could become a member of the Party by paying an annual subscription and signing the pledge to be loyal to its constitution and platform, and could air their views and give instructions to their leaders through their delegates. In no other political party’ was this privilege extended; and therefore the Labour Party was the only democratic party in New Zealand. From that democratic -standpoint the Party was rapidly getting hold of the publics conscience in this country to such an extent that the people were everywhere discussing its sins of commission arid omission. The other night the member for Nelson discussed them at considerable length, and Mr Combs said he understood be bad a very representative audience to listen to him. He (the sneaker) intended to reply to some of the things which. Air Atmore said the party stood for and did hot stand for. So far as the Party was concerned it had always laid it down that it was not entitled to control the Government of this country unless there was a majority of the country- behind it and voted it into power. It was quite willing to wander in the wilderness a, few years longer until a majority put it in" o- ntrol. When it was there the first thing it would do would be to reform the electoral system so that one vote would have one value, and would introduce proportional representation. This was an absolutely essential thing. In a rough sort of way the people were at present governed by the first past the post system. Mr Combs roundly condemned Mr Massey’s proposal tc gi r e proportional representation to file city and preferential to the country. If proportional representation was a fair thing for the towns then it was a fair thing for the whole country. The only remedy for the present defective system was proportional representation. And vet the Labour Party was abused for being an unconstitutional party. The Labour Party stood for the initiative, tho referendum-and the right of recall. A Voice: Would you force the right of recall ?

Mr Combs: There is no force about if. The right of recall is taken up by a petition of a certain percentage of the electors, and if you get sufficient signatures to that petition it has fo be presented to the people and they will vote whether they want it recalled or not.

STATE BANK Going on to speak of the land policy of his party, Mr Combs said that the only hold on the land his party stood for was the usehold system. The State would acquire land not put to proper use and then lease it. The question of finance was one of the foremost at the present time, as well as the necessity for reorganising the public, finances of the country and the control of private financiers. This brought him to a State hank, which his party stood for. The operations of the present hanks were without let. or hindrance. There was a combine or understanding among the bankers to. see that the people did not get money at a proper rate of interest. It was an unnoly combine. Every trader in the town who was trading on an overdraft put something extra on his articles to cover his rate of interest. Therefore the people suffered. So far as New Zealand banks were concerned, they were practically all owned outside the Dominion and had organisations in London and acted in a way detrimental to the Dominion in order to reap greater profits. Mr Combs quoted from an issue of the London Sunday Chronicle referring to a bankers’ conference, and went on to say iliat three weeks after this conference a leading hanker of New Zealand (Sir Harold Beauchamp) made a statement in the press to the effect that the banks had lent too much and would have to call in overdrafts and could not lend monev on new enterprises. This meant that the trader cut down his wages bill to meet the situation, thus creating unemployment. This operated, throughout New Zealand in a general way and also in tiie Public Service. The speaker went on to refer to the deputation from the Association which waited on Mr Massey regarding salaries, when they were told they were terrible people to ask for increases as lie (Mr Massey) was at hia wit’s ends to pay wages. The financial year ended four days before and the Budget disclosed a surplus of £7,000,000. He was playing the bankers’ game, who had decided that wages must come down. But he had given a rebate on the land tax and then put off 300 or so public servants without notice. Hi ter the Public Expenditure Adjustment Bill was introduced, cutting down salaries. In reply to protests from the Association over 50 members of Parliament said they would fight the Bill tooth and nail. Yet Mr Wilford seconded it; and the only party which stood true to its promise was the Labour Party. (Mr Atmorc had “told them that wages of public servants should be cut down, but not those below £320 a year, because the war had to be paid for and the publio servant had to pay liis share. How much would have been paid if Air Afcmorc had his way? If lie had collected 10 per cent, on salaries over £320 it would amount to about £45,000. The fact was that the vast majority of the men in the public service were receiving less than £SOO a year. Close on 85 per cent, received less than that sum, and a very large percentage received less than £233, and Mr Atmore was all at sea with his figures when he asked the Nelson public to believe that by cutting down the wages of the top men lie was going to get anything" like a substantial contribution towards paying for the wax. Mr Combs said the war had to be paid for. hut there were better means of lecting it than by making the conditions

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pf life harder for those on the bread and butter line, which was done by the Public Service Adjustment Act of 1922. In 1914 the private wealth of the Dominion was 286 millions and in 1921 it ■was 654 millions —more than double. And if the war was to be paid for surely this was an increased source of wealth that could be very fairly taxed in order to meet the situation. But the.value of the sovereign had fallen since 1914, and allowing for this the private wealth in 1921 would amount to 409 millions, an increase of 123 millions. And this was a source of wealth that could be lapped to pay off the debt, and no one could say it was unfair taxation, because the increase in value was to a large extent due to war inflation. If the war was responsible for the increase then the war should pay for it. A Voice: What have you to say about the war? Proceeding to criticise the amount oi money borrowed by the Massey Government, Mr Combs said that in his opinion Mr Massey had handed himself over to the London money lenders, and that New Zealand was being exploited on their behalf. The money lenders and the banking ring at London were one and the same ; and it was time a Party got into power in New Zealand to stop that ring from dictating the terms on which we must liye. A Voice: What is your remedy? Mr Combs: A State bank. Continuing he said the Commonwealth Government had kept the rate of interest 1 per cent, lower than in New Zealand and saved Australia 14 millions for the period of the war. Mr Combs went on to quote erctracts from a bankers’ magazine of the United States and from other sources to show that the bankers and money lenders worked against the interests of the people as a whole ; and urged that as the Reform Government would have nothing to do with a State bank, and as the Liberal Party was half-hearted oyer it, the people should work in the interest, of the Labour Party which would establish one.

RECENT STRIKE

Proceeding, Mr Combs said Mr Atmore had referred to the recent istrike. What led up to the actual strike they did not know. Nor, did they know why it so suddenly ended. But they did know that the railwaymen Ivaci been pressing their claims for olghteen months, endeavouring again and again to secure redress. Then they got a tribunal, and they were tola they would, got more money if they worked longer hours. A previous tribunal had agreed to the 44 hours’ week, it was a disturbing factor to know they would have to work longer l-.otirs, The whole tendency of to-day was to reduce working hours. And when tlje railwaymen lound the recent tribunal would not listen to an increase in wages without the increase in hours, they felt they had been humbugged and the strike ensued the day ioilofwmjr blaster Monday. It lasted ten days and then work was resumed suddenly. We do not know what passed through their mind. Mr Atmore had said it -was unconstitutional for my , State servant to go out on-strike. Yet there was a law legalising strikes under certain conditions rle (the speaker) coilld not see why there should be one law for one section of the community and one for another. Whether the strike was Aviso or not lie trusted that from the present tribunal would eqme, an improvement in the wages of the railway servants was true they could get bread Avitli•out butter and houses in some places, but they did not get a fair thing. The Government took up the attitude that the raihvays should'pay' per cent, but the railway system was loaded Avith political raihvays that Avould never pay so long as New Zealand v;as New; Zealand, and these should be. excluded from the computation. In the same way the Post and Telegraph Association Avas told that the Post and Telegraph was a business, and was required to pay 41- per cent. They Avanted to know Avliy they had to find one per cent more than" the raihvays. This meant £75,000 a year, which could be divided among the men to g:ve them a reasonable Avage. In the railways the minimum was £3 19s lOd u Aveek, and in the Post and Telegraph it was £3 13s 4d, and some few men were working for £3 10s, and some were, married... Mr Coates said they were just as Avell paid as people outs:ae. Haw long avoul dit be before employers outside sought to bring Avages down to the level of the Post and Telegraph. They would say the Post and Telegraph appeared to be managing ali right and others could do likeAvise. His argument was that the banking r ug and employers had forced Avages doAvn to the bare subsistence level, and were iioav asking for' longer hours of Avork.

POLITICS AND INDEPENDENCE

Pl'otjeeding, Mr Combs said that on some occasions, Mr Atmore had voted for the workers, but more often had voted against .the workers. Air Atmore claimed to be pin. independent politician, and was a deadly opponent of Marxian Socialists. Mr Combs said he wanted to place the opinion that no end could be independent. Everyone v.as dependent on someone else for seme service or other. If you could not be independent in actual life you could nut be independent in politics. You can’t even remain on the fence. Mr Holland had published a booklet entitled, “Mr Massey’s Liberal Supporters,” which everyone should read. ' . n the- second session of 1923, AD Milford moved a long amendment to the Address-in-Reply.. The Labour Party was not satisfied with it on the grounds that it was not full enough nor explicit enough. Several amendments were moved. The first was for proportional representation and abolition of the Legislative pouncil. The Liberals were not explicit enough. Mr Atmore sank his independence and voted against the amendment. Perhaps the present system suited him. Mr Atmore said there should be no return to pre-war wages because the workers had to bear their share of the war. Yet Air Atmore voted for the particular Labour amendment that fcl ere should be no reduction in income tax until wages were returned to the pre-war standard. It was very convenient to bo an independent (Laughter). Air Atmore voted against the amendment to increase old age and widows ’pensions, and pensions for the blind, yet in his address he bad rtferred to the pensions as being inadequate, yet he had voted against the umendment seeking increases. A Voice: Got off the rail that time. (Laughter). Proceeding, Air Combs said Mr Atmore voted against securing to the forking farmer the full fruits of his «. labour and exertion. Mr Atmore again had to sink his' independence, voting against providing adequate maintenance of all able-bodied people. Where did Mr Atmore stand? Whero was his independence? It was the height of absurdity that Mr Atmore could claim to be .independent-. The only way he could be so would be to run out of the House whenever the division bell rang and the people would have something to say to that.

Before closing, Mr Combs said there was one matter lie Avould like to pin right. Mr Atmore had misquoted Mr Lolland in order to make it appear that Mr Holland advocated violence. Mr Massey bad also quoted Mr Lolland in tins respect, but Avhilo Mr Massey had liitecl the sentence from the context, winch avus unfair, Mr Atmore not only cud this, but did nut giA'e the sentence correctly. 'ibis Avas the opening meeting of the Nelson branch of the ,Noav Zealand Labour Party, and he Avanted all in sympathy Avith it to join and find some Avork to do. Many willing workers were needed. Political aifairs avcio much in the balance. Manv believed there Avould be an election before Christmas. If the Liberal Party lent Mr Massey their support in crucial divisions then things might go on. They often hoard Liberals proclaiming the glorious deeds ol the 'nineties. Mi Atmore had frequently referred to Stddon, Ballanco, MacKenzic. He also said ho a\ as opposed to Marxian Socialism, whatever .that might mean. Lallance, Seddon, and Co. Avere referred to in their time as “the seven dcA’ils of Socialism.” The Liberals lived on the glories of the past, with only a dim reflection, the Reform moon Avas now setting, but in the East the Lsbour s.un Avas beginning to rise in all its glory, and if all Avorlced for it, it Avould shine forth for the benefit ol ad the people of NeAv Zealand. Mr Combs Avas loudly applauded on coneludoing his address.

SINGAPORE BASE

During question time, Mr Combs said he had omitted to refer to the Singapore base. The Ngav Zealand Labour Party Avas at one Avitli the British Labour Party in not Avanting Itgone on with - . They said it Avas an offensive measure, and Avould cost the Empire. £200,000,000. The idea Avas r.ot to defend the British Empire, but to make it a starting-off point for raiding the potential Avealth of China. China had more coal than Great Britain, America, and Germany combined, and alongside Avere immense i:on deposits. Again, there Avero 450,000,000 Chinese living there —cheap labour. Nothing could live in competition against this. In it they saAv a menace to everyone in other countries. Japan Avas in a better position to Avork in China, The recent armament conglerence in Washington was really for the partition of China, and it was noticeable that Japan Avas excluded from all partnerships. Singapore Avas a gesture of Avar if gone on Avith, and an act of peace if abandoned. In reply to questions, Avhich could be asked from any part of the hall, MiCombs explained the system of proportional representation, and said, in regard to national defence, that Labour believed in a volunteer army paid trade union Avages for any service rendered. Mr Combs said that Labour believed. in a State bank, State insurance, and State bousing, and in any State enterprise Avlierc private control Avas unfair to the public. The Labour Party ,he thought, Avould he favourable to erect State iron works in Nelson if after investigation the proposal was considered a sound one-

In reply to a question -as to Avhy Mr Fraser did not accept Mr Atmore!’s challenge, Mr Combs said he Ainderstood this AA-as because it avus hedged round Avith impossible conditions. But Mr Fraser Avas Avilling to debato the Labour Party’s programme Avitli Mr Atmore anywhere in Noav Zealand, preferably Nelson, and to bo responsible for half the cost of hiring the hall, etc. In reply to another question, Mr Combs said they Avere not in favour of the Russian Soviet system. Russia had to determine her ways and Ngav Zealand Ngav Zealand’s.

Mr Oarr moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker. This was carried with loud applause. Mr Combs thanked those present for coming out to hear him on so cold a mght.