“CONTEMPTIBLE INACCURACY”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 February 1939, Page 6

“CONTEMPTIBLE INACCURACY”

LEADER OF OPPOSITION’S STATEMENT THE HON. R. SEMPLE IN REPLY I United Press Association! HAMILTON, This Day. “The very Government with which Mr Hamilton was associated destroyed the Apprentices Act and reduced the number of apprentices from 10,000 to 3000, thus driving young men into ‘slave camps’ for 10s a week,” said the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, in Hamilton, in commenting on the statement of Mr Adam Hamilton in Christchurch. “By doing this they created a gap that we have been compelled to bridge by bringing artisans from other countries. His statement is a contemptible inaccuracy, and I think he is talking through the top of his head,” added Mr Semple. “His Government was responsible for robbing New Zealand of a generation of artisans.”

Mr Semple stated that the campaign of the National Party during the election was sensational and stupid and conducted on wild and reckless statements with the hope that they would stampede the people. Evidently the result of the election had not taught Mr Hamilton anything, as he is continuing in the same strain.

The Minister added that the previous Government utilised unemployment funds to subsidise wealthy concerns instead of subsidising employers for training young men in trades. Rich concerns benefited by subsidised labour and young men worked in slave camps. “It was the most pathetic experience of my life when I met 2000 young New Zealanders in a ‘slave’ camp,” added the Minister. “These young men were receiving from 10s to 15s per week, and were down and out. Had they been properly trained they would have been a wonderful asset to-day and the present problem would not exist. Mr Hamilton now has the callous presumption to attempt to blame the Government for the position which was deliberately created by his own government.” Stating that it was true that there was still a number of young men on public works, the speaker said they were not skilled tradesmen. In fact the P.W.D. was very short of skilled men and as many as possible were now being trained with great success. “I said at the time when the previous Government destroyed the Apprentices Act that they would be creating a nation of navvies instead of skilled artisans,” concluded Mr Semple, “and we are now struggling to bridge the gap.”