THE AIMS OF LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19976, 19 June 1928, Page 10

THE AIMS OF LABOUR.

LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEME. HELPING TIMBER INDUSTRY. WORKERS' COMPENSATION SYSTEM [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] TAUMARUNUI, Monday. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, addressed about 400 people in the Theatre Royal this evening, and was accorded a good hearing. In his opening remarks, lie emphasised the fact that the real issue at the coming election was between Reform and Labour. Division lists showed that the so-called Liberals always voted confidence in Reform, and there was no line of demarcation between those two parties. Mr. Holland dealt with the land question on lines similar to his Tapawera address, an< 1 added that the Labour Party would not put men on heavily-timbered land. It would send out State clearing parties to clear the land, mill millable timber, instead of burning it, and thus help to make the timber pay for the land. It would organise the distribution of fertilisers and intensify farming so as to place the largest number possible on the land. Roads and bridges would precede settler in newly-opened-up areas.

Dealing with interest rates, Mr. Holland said that during Reform's regime amounts borrowed at high rates of interest increased arid amounts at low rates decreased. He contended that the Government could have stepped in and prevented the recent rise in the bank rate, but failed to do so, and would have to answer to the farmer. State and Timber Industry. Regarding intermediate credits, Mr. Holland said that none of this legislation would make any material difference in the amount of money lent, and would not help the farmer. What was wanted was machinery to provide money for the primary producer, public works and public bodies, and not to provide profits for private shareholders. This state of affairs could be brought about by a State bank. The speaker said the Government had been apathetic in regard to the timber industry. Many New Zealand mills were idle or working short time owing to huge importations of foreign timber. Some timbers, of course, had to be imported, but on the other hand immense quantities which could bo produced locally were being imported. This applied particularly to soft woods, the importations of which amounted to the output of 40 ordinary mills, about 40,000,000 ft. a year. Increases in timber freights during the past few years further handicapped the timber industry, and timber cargoes were coming from abroad at lower rates than from timber-producing areas in New Zealand to the waterfronts. The Labour Party would seo that the industry was not crippled by dumping methods of Americans or competition of cheap-labour countries. Moreover, it would hold a searching inquiry into the whole position of the timber industry and would also make provision for tho protection of Hie public against monopoly prices, a proposal already agreed to "by sawmill owners. Workers' Compensation. Mr. Holland referred to workers' compensation, and said the Labour Party proposed to make accident insurance a State monopoly and compulsory. The Workers' Compensation Act would be amended to provide for payment of full wages during the period of incapacity. This could bo done, he said, without increasing in any way the premiums paid by employers, for tho latest statistics showed that only 49.32 per cent, of the premium income was paid out in claims, while 38.45 per cent, went to meet the expenses of management. Nationalisation of this form of insurance would leave a much larger proportion of the premium income available for payment of compensation. Provision would also be made for full medical attention and payment for all medical services rendered to the injured worker. The Labour Party would largely increase tho family allowance in order that the large family should not be made fo suffer, as was the case fo-day. Hie Labour Parfv would bring down an Unemployment Insurance Bill to provide maintenance for men who could not be provided with work, continued Mr. Holland. Its immigration policy would guarantee work for the immigrant at a State-fixed wage. The party would revise present nension laws and would increase the old-age pensions to 25s per week. Already agitation by the Labour Party had brought about an increase. Mr. Holland criticised the Government's velief scale of wages. At Auckland on Wednesday, he said, he would criticise Mr. Goat.es' Wellington speech and would deal more fully with the question of unemployment and relief works. At the conclusion of his address Mr. TTolland was accorded a hearty vote of f hanks. CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT. MR, SAVAGE AT PAPATOETOE. Mr. M. J., Savage, M.P. for Auckland West, addressed a mooting held under the auspices of the Papatoetoe branch of tho Labour Party in tho Town Hall, Papatoetoe, last evening. Mr. A. W., Hall presided over a moderate attendance. In a survey of Dominion affairs, Mr. Savage claimed that as the Government had a clear majority, it could not blame the opposition for any misgovernment on the ground of obstruction. Mr. Savage criticised recent statements made by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister of Finance, who claimed that the Government had reduced the deadweight of tho national debt and that tho country was paying its way. The Labour Party's land policy was outlined by Mr. Savage, who also dealt with immigration. He said Labour claimed that industry should carry the people and that an unemployment insurance was necessary. Mr. Savage w*fs accorded a vote of thanks.