WAR AND AFTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25045, 8 November 1944, Page 7

WAR AND AFTER

LABOUR'S OBJECTIVES REPORT BY MR FRASER (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Tuesday Any slackening of the war effort at this juncture would be criminal, and it would be 110 less criminal to omit anypossible preparation for the task of reconstruction, without which no rehabilitation policy could be successful, said the l nmo Minister. Mr Fraser, to the annual conference of the Labour Partv today. He gave a detailed report of the work and future plans of the .Parliamentary Labour Party. The report was adopted unanimously and Mr 1* raser was accorded a vote' of thanks. Mr I'raser emphasised that from the beginning of the war the Labour Government had faced the fact that the welfare of the people in the post-war years and the securing of long-term prosperity made necessary the preparation of plans now for the conversion of our economic resources from production for war to production for peace, 'his year the Organisatin for National Development was set up to ensure that planning proceeded rapidly in all fields and to act as a clearing-house for the various plans. State Construction Plans All forms of State construction activity would be co-ordinated in a tenyear plan under the Ministry of Works, ('here was a ten-year plan "for railway construction and for the renewal of bridges, and another for the development of hydro-electric resources, which woujd increase the capacity in the North Island alone from 21i,000 kilowatts to over / 00,000. A start had already been made with the breaking in of some sites for at least ten new exotic forests, with a possible ultimate area of over 100,000 acres, which were to be commenced immediately after the war. Mr I 1 raser said it had been a matter for great regret to the Government that wartime shortages of men and materials had caused a slowing down of its programme of housing construction. Fortunately the situation had now improved ana it had already been possible to accelerate the rate of State housing construction. This year 1412 houses had been built, as against 767 in the whole of last year. So far 16,957 houses had been built since the inception of the programme, and 2933 were at present under construction. As soon as the war ended a housing programme of unprecedented magnitude would be commenced. The Government's minimum housing programme for the three postwar years was; First year, 8000; second [year, 10.000; third year. 12,000. Assuming that private building was at aaaaverage level for 1936-39, another 4000 houses would have to bo added to obtain the total number of houses which would be built. Living Standard Not only must there be achieved the maximum utilisation of the country's resources, but the people's standard of living must also bo maintained at the highest levels. The institution of a minimum family income and the expansion of_ the social security scheme were two items of Government policy which would help bring this about after the war, but even under present conditions it was possible to make real headway toward Labour's goal of a bftter life for all the people. Instances of this during the past year were the increase of the family benefit and the provision of a fortnight's annual paid holiday for all workers. "The Labour Government was given the responsibility of leading New Zealand out of_ the greatest depression in history and is entrusted with the leadership pf the country during the greatest war in history," said the Prime Minister. "It successfully led New Zealand trom depression to prosperity and has organised a war effort of which every iNew Zealander may be proud. It will ca .!"P' that efjort to its conclusion and will then be faced by new tasks as vast tho.se it has already accomplished. With the support of the party and the people, which has bfien so fully accorded it in the past, it will perform those tasks. OFFICERS RE-ELECTED M U ROB E RTS PR ESIDENT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday Mr James Roberts was re-elected president of the New Zealand Labour Party at the annual conference. The Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer, was re-elected vice-president. COUNSEL FOR ACCUSED LAST-MINUTE APPLICATION The last-moment application of a prisoner for counsel to defend him led to the postponement of his trial which was about to commence before Mr Justice Fair yesterday afternoon. Accused was John Leslie Florance, aged 33. who, with Patrick Francis Brennan, was indicted on two charges. The first was that on April 14 he had in his possession gelignite and det-onators with intent to commit a crime, and the second that on the same day he unlawfully converted to his own use a motor-car valued at £2OO. Brennan failed to appear. Florance pleaded not guilty to both charges, and a* a jury was about to be impanelled he asked if he might have counsel to defend him. He had had counsel at last sessions, he said, but had lost touch with him. He did not know he would have to face this charge that day. His Honor said the accused had no right to claim counsel, but it assisted the Court at times if the prisoner had one. Florance would be allotted counsel, though he did not deserve one. This was a serious charge and he should not be called on to stand trial without assistance. He would be remanded for trial later. Unfortunately, His Honor added, this last-minute application meant that the jurors had been brought back for nothing SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION The 79th annual report of the Auckland Sunday School Union, presented at the annual meeting this week, stated that during the year a further 16 schools became affiliated to the union. The membership was now 289 schools, 2346 teachers, and 21,083 scholars. There was an increase o! 958 candidates in the Scripture examination. The following officers worn elected: —President (lie Rev. A. J. Johnston; vice-presidents, Mfc* E. Hoighton, Messrs L. J. Tooiner and C K. Wigglesworth; secretary, Mr W. Jv Arclier; treasurer, Mr W. A. Kendon; executive MosdaniCH E. Pierce, F. Hatchings and (i. A. Green, Misses D. Earle. V Chapman, 15. Houghton, E. Casley and E. Barr. the l!ev I). J. Hickman, Messrs W. H. Newton, W. .-V Levlaiul, J. T. Holmes, A, Russell C. K Turlev L J. Toomer, C. k. ft lgglesworth, I K l-Vlktier H. H• Dearsl.v, J. W. Court. lv. D G laisler, J. Tyler, W. Rew. W. A. f*r-ii tr R Craig, J. Hargraves, t. kr'etfic.hmar, 1. O. Lambert, and E. H. Pain. ASSAULT ADMITTED A plea of guilty to a charge of indecently assaulting a female was entered bv George Henare, aged 2o (Mr [taifh), before Mr Justice Fair yesterday!" He denied alternative charges or rape, attempted rape, and assault with intent to commit rape The Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, accepted this plea and the prisoner was remanded for a report before sentence.