INDIVIDUAL EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23059, 9 June 1938, Page 14

INDIVIDUAL EFFORT

FITKTHERANCE PESERVED GOVERNMENT'S .ATTITUDE MR. WEBB WELL RECEIVED [by telegraph—own correspondent] HAMILTON, Wednesday The statement that the Government had no intention of interfering with private enterprise, which in fact deserved to be encouraged, was made by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in an address in Hamilton tonight. The Minister said the Government only interfered with private enterprise when it failed to do the job, and then only did the Government intervene to produce order out of chaos.

The Minister was given a rousing reception on entering the hall. There was an attendance of 700.

Replying to an interjection concerning the compensated price, Mr. Webb said Mr. Hamilton had spent an hour on the subject on Monday night, and no one had understood what he had said.

w Adam Hamilton is a good fellow, but his politics belong to a past age," said Mr. Webb. "You will excuse me calling him Adam; you know he calls me Paddy." (Laughter.) Mr. Webb Baid the Opposition did not advocate the repeal of the humanitarian legislation the Government had enacted. The previous Government, he continued, had discussed it. One of the previous Government's best leaders, Mr. Gordon Coates, was a man of outstanding ability, but he was regarded as being too Socialistic. The . Minister claimed that there were fewer unemployed in New Zealand today than had been experienced at any other stage in the Dominion's history. Dealing with finance, Mr. Webb said the Government had more money than it could profitably spend at present. There was a shortage of profitable work available to occupy the unemployed. If the people of Hamilton wanted to build up their town and create assets, they had only to apply for the money, and they would get it, provided the work was worth while. Mr. Webb appealed for support for Mr. C. A. Barreil, M.P. for Hamilton. The Minister was given three cheers when he resumed his seat, and the audience sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." A motion of thanks to Mr. Webb and confidence in the Government and Mr. Barreil was carried with acclamation.