LABOUR ATTITUDE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 May 1930, Page 5

LABOUR ATTITUDE

STATEMENT BY MR HOLLAND

(By Telegraph—Special to "The Mail")

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Asked a direct question as to when he thought the next General Election would take place, Mr H. E. Holland, Parliamentary Labour Leader, who spoke in the Choral Hall last night, said that there was no saying what would happen, and the attitude of Labour would depend on the attitude of the Government. Whatever else happened, how ever, Labour were going to press certain points that had been enumerated by him some time ago, and would also bring up other's. “Of course,” ho added, amidst general laughter, “we will gladly dissolve the House if we are going to take over the 'government.” ; Continuing, he said that part of his work during the past few months had been to prepare the Labour Party so that if an election did come the party would be ready. It was necessary to do this because if they were not prepared, then they were going to suffer. They had not been prepared in Christchurch, and as a consequence had lost control of the City Council, from which it looked as though they might expect wages to come down. His advice to Labour was to be ready, to get funds together, and select candidates. MR HOLLAND ON THE REDISTRP BUTION (By Telegraph—Special to "The Mail”) CHRISTCHURCH, 28th May. A touch of criticism about, the arrangement of some of the portfolios—though not from the personal aspect — was given bv Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., Leader of tlie Labour Party, when discussing tlie new United Party Cabinet with a reporter to-day. He made it plain that he had no desire to discuss individuals. “I do not think that the portfolios of Education and of Scientific and Industrial Research should have been separated,” he said. “These two should go together. I also think that the. Electoral Department and the Legislative Department should be under the same Minister and that the Minister of Labour should have charge also of the Immigration Department.” He added that he did not think, in any case, that the redistribution of portfolios would affect the situation at all, so far as the other parties were concerned. Further than that, as regards the general situation in Wellington, he was not prepared to make any comment.