Prime Minister At Kaitaia

Northland Age, Volume XII, Issue 45, 19 August 1943, Page 1

Prime Minister At Kaitaia

Mr. Fraser’s Survey of Achievements of Government in Peace and War The outstanding achievements of New Zealand’s first Labour Government during four years of peace and four years of war were outlined by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in an address in the A. and P. I Hall, Kaitaia, on Tuesday evening.

A large and appreciative audience gave him and Mr. C. W. Boswell, M.P. for the Bay of Islands a cordial welcome. The Chairman of the Town Board, Mr. J. T. B. Taaffe, who px-esided, briefly introduced the Prime Ministei-.' In a shoi-t appropriate speech Mr. Boswell expi-essed pleasure at the Prime Minister’s visit, and also for the large attendance and the pleasantness of the welcome. “It is my intention to open the election campaign at Wellington on August 30,” Mr. Fraser said. “Meanwhile I want to outline some of the Labour Government’s achievements in peace, and also in war with the help of the whole country. Labour’s Gi-eat Task “When Labour came into power in December 1935 the country was in a slough of despondency, misery and despair. We claim that in the depression years, although there had been a great decline in world prices, the policy adopted by the previous Government was not the right policy. Instead of helping the country and pxotecting the people and their employment, production, and incomes there was a ruthless reduction of wages and pensions. Unemployment reached an unprecedented level. The purchasing power of the people was whittled down to a degree never befoi'e equalled in the Dominion.” “The Labour Govei-nment inhei'ited 60,000 unemployed. The first thing we had to do was to succour impoverished and distressed people, most

of them old age pensioneis. We immediately gi-anted a Christmas bonus to many people who had expei-ieneed how terrible Christmas could be under the px-evious policy of cuts in wages and loss of employment.” “The Labour Government set out to put into expanding practice its pledge to establish a social and economic policy which would make an end to slump conditions and open a broad way to prosperity. It increased the incomes of useful people and the immediate result gave an impetus to trade.”

A Peaceful Social Revolution “The progressive improvement represented a peaceful and prosperous revolution in social and industrial conditions. The number of factories in 1935 was 5270; last year the total was 6367. The number of factory workers increased during the same period from over 79,000 to fully 117,000. In 1935 wox-kers’ wages throughout the counti'y totalled £66,000,000; this year the total is £155,500,000. The value of production in the past eight years rose from £96,700,000 to £161,000,000; the aggregate private income increased from £104,000,000 to £260,000,000; the peoples’ savings in the Post Office and Trustee Savings Banks more than doubled fi-oxxl £60,700,000 in 1935 to £113,900,000 last year. “What has been the effect of the Government’s policy of guaranteeing reasonable prices to dairy farmei« irrespective of market fluctuations? The system has rescued thousands of small farmers from misery and the constant menace of bankruptcy. In 1935 the avei'age net income of small farmers was only £75 a year. Last year the avei'age was £372.” Educational Returns The Prime Minister also reviewed

the extensive returns made in New Zealand’s system of education. Fiveyear old children who had been locked out from the primary schools during the depression—a form of desperate economy which should never been imposed in any circumstances —were readmitted. Teachers’ training colleges were i'e-opened and more than 450 school buildings were either built or remodelled on the most modern lines, giving sunshine and fi'esh air. War interrupted the programme of construction, but when peace is restored, more and still more new buildings will be erected. Nothing will be left undone if Labour is in power to extend all educational facilities for improving and maintaining the physical, mental and spiritual welfare of the children and boys and girls. The milk-in-schools scheme had proved a boon to 231,000 children. Dental treatment was now given in 2120 schools in 380 centres. 16,000 State Houses Returning to the Government’s housing policy, Mr. Fraser said that here again the requirements of waxhad slowed down the pace of construction of State rental houses. Sixteen

thousand had been built, but the demand was still far ahead of the supply. The Government planned to build 3000 during the remainder of this financial year, but the problem of obtaining essential ironmongery had yet to be solved. It was hoped that supplies would be obtained from the United States for it was not yet determined whether New Zealand manufacturing industries would be able to change over from the production of munitions to the manufacture of locks, keys, hinges, and so on. Rehabilitation Policy The Prime Minister discussed with gi'eat earnestness and emphasis the question of the rehabilitation of exservicemen. “Are we going to be satisfied with just praise of the servicemen who have done so much to help in saving this country from the tyranny of the Axis Powers?” he asked. “We all know the glory of their achievements on land and sea and in the air. They have won the unstinted admiration of the United Nations. Their name stands high everywhere. Are we to be content with cheering them as they go away to fight for our freedom, our social welfare, and for everything that we cherish, and with cheering them on their return? If we fail in our duty to pay our debt to them for all that they have done, all the pledges made by the Government and by the people will have been nothing more or better than ‘sounding bi’ass and tinkling cymbals’. Such insincerity is unthinkable. It does not exist, and will not be allowed to happen. Evei'ything that can be done for our sei'vicemen within the limit of the nation’s resources must be done. I can assure you that it will be done without stint. No Exploitation of Ex-Servicemen The Prime Minister emphasised that

the purpose of the legislation befoi-e the House of Representatives providing for the land settlement of returned servicemen was simply to prevent exploitation and to ensure that every soldier-farmer would be given a fair and square deal, and opportunity to make good on the land. Everybody subscribed to that objective. All the talk about depriving land and pro-pei'ty-owners of their right was sheei' nonsense. No one would be treated unfaii'ly and the determination of values would be entrusted to fairminded men with practical and full knowledge of land and farming conditions in their respective districts. The question of party politics did not come into the pain at all. The Bill had one aim only—the protection - of ex-ser-vicemen against exploitation or exorbitant values of farmland and houses. Would anyone dai'e to challenge the l'easonableness of the Government’s policy and legislative purpose.”

Mr. Fraser also reviewed in detail the scope and benefits of Social Security, the inci'ease in war pensions which came into force last month although the Bill providing for increases had not yet passed thxough Parliament. Many other points of Government policy and achievements were emphasised by Mr. Fraser, who was warmly applauded at the conclusion of a spirited speech. A hearty vote of thanks to the Prime Minister was carried by acclamation.