MANUKAU SEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 12

MANUKAU SEAT

GOVERNMENT'S POLICY MR. SEMPLE'S EXPOSITION USES OF RESERVE BANK "GOING RIGHT AHEAD" A whole-hearted defence of the Government's activities since it came into office and some interesting indications of its ,intentions for the future were given by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, in addressing the electors of Manukau on Saturday evening. Mr. Semplo was speaking in furtherance of the campaign of the Labour candidate for the Manukau seat, Mr. A. G. Osborne, and he had the sympathy <}f the audience throughout a speech which lasted a full hour. The audience filled the Methodist Church Hall at Greenwood's Corner to overflowing, and many were content to stand throughout the Minister's speech and that of the candidate, which followed.

"You say, 'Why don't you take all the banks over?' " said the Minister at one stage. "Well, don't bo impatient (laughter and applause). There is no obstacle or barrier going to he put in our way. We have made up our minds that the only service that ..matters so far as public men are concerned is to serve the nation; and anyone that stands between the Government and the well-being of the nation—well, we will get over that difficulty all right. Well, that's that."

£3,000,000 for Houses

At the outset 3lr. Semple referred .to Mr. Osborne's long association with , the Labour movement, and said he understood the philosophy of it, and ■was fully acquainted with the pro- ! gramme that the Labour Government ■was attempting to write into the laws .of this country. When that Government took control everybody, knew that things were not as they should be. '• "We are going the full distance to give the people the measure of security 'that a nation of people should get," • the Minister said. "Some people sav v 'How are you going to use the Reserve Bank?' We are going to use it all right. We have just decided to build liousps for the people who have no homes in this country, and we are •spending £3.000,000 of money issued -from the Reserve Bank for that purj pose. We are building homes for the nomeless through the Reserve Bank without borrowing money from anybody abroad." (Hear! Hear!) Praising the Government's scheme of guaranteed prices for dairy produce ' the Minister" saidi;it Avas a simple thing if the farmer created real wealth in . the form of butter for the nation to use the money in the Reserve Bank, 'which would correspond with the real value that the farmer created, pay him with that money, and let him go about his business safe and secure on the form. (Applause.) "Superannuation for Everybody" The Minister nest reviewed the Government's mortgage legislation and its . granting of increased pensions and of pensions to invalids Referring to Vie increases in old-age pensons, he said that was onlv a stop-gap kind of thing. "Within the'nest 12 months," he said. • "we are going to prepare a bill for • next session that will do away with all kinds of charitable outfits and create a. national superannuation for everybody. We are going to do that within ] the"next year." The resumption of political control of the railwavs was the next subject touched on by the Minister, who scathinglv' criticised the waste of material that followed on the stoppage of railw way construction by the Railways Bdard, which, he said, had taken the count." He detailed the increased wages, shorter hours and better terms generally given the men on public works and said the men were working wonderfully well and giving good service for a very decent reward. . Mr. Semple admitted lie had had a 'little trouble at the beginning with some of his Communist friends, who had thought the only thing they had to do was to go on a public works job and wait for 5 o'clock. He was satisfied ,he had played the game with them, and if they did not play the game with the Government there was no place for them on the public works. ' Level Crossings

1 On the subject of transport the Minister rigorously reiterated his deterinitiation to stop the loss of life and ' limb at present occasioned by accidents on the highways. They were also going ' to eliminate death traps on the rail- ' way lines. Tliere were 550 level crossings in the country, and he had ted- 250 of the worst, and £1,250,000 had been made available through channels he had suggested for making these safe. The roads would have to be taken either under or over the railway, and by / next year tlicy would have at least 100 of them on the way. The Labour candidate, Mr. Sempb said, had been a consistent supporter of the Labour movement from his boyhood, and was a tried and trusty colleague in a great big humanitarian ' battle. He was a clean, straightforward, intellectual young man. The gentleman who was offering himself as an opponent of the Labour Government was last time a Democrat. The Democrats withered up and blew away as the angry blasts of winter scattered the leaves be-fore-it, and they had been heard of mo more. , , " But now we have them dished up again some of them as National candidates—National, whatever they mean by that," said the Minister. It is only nine months ago since this gentleman denounced the Government that he now asks you to select him to support. Candidates Contrasted "If you want a political acrobat to represent you, well, you will vote for that gentleman. But if you want men who have fought consistently ad their lives for fundamental principles in the interests of the nation you must, ol course, give your support to the Labour candidate." Referring again to the Government's record, Mr. Semple said it might betrue that they were taxing the rich to help the fellow down in the gutter, but there was nothing wrong with that. It was in line with Christian ethics and Christian ideas. The Government; could not work miracles in nine months, but they had boon working night and day to do what thov had already done. There was much yet to do, and they were going right ahead, doing the task in their own way, keeping .11 view all the time the welfare of the women and children." (Applause.) •The Minister had to leave at the close of his address to fulfil another engagement, and both he and Mrs. Seinple, who accompanied him, were warmly applauded as they left'the meeting.