"PROGRESSIVE POLICY"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22738, 26 November 1935, Page 15

"PROGRESSIVE POLICY"

LABOUR'S PROMISES TRUE FREEDOM OF THE PEOPLE His Majesty's Tliertre was filled last evening when Dr D. G. M'Millan, Labour candidate for Dunedin West, addressed electors. He was given an enthusiastic reception, and at the conclusion of the address a vote of thanks and confidence in Dr M'Millan was carried. The meeting was presided over by Mr W. Richards. Dr M'Millan began his address by stating that he believed the people of New Zealand were on the eve of one of the greatest political landslides in the history of the country. Everywhere he went he found his meetings a wonderful inspiration. Public indignation had been roused by the acute and unnecessary want and suffering that had been allowed to continue so long. Public indigation had been fired by a realisation of what might be in a country so bountifully blessed by Nature. " Last election," he said, "we chose the road that was sign-posted ' Equality of sacrifice! ' ' Sane finance! ' 'Keep your man in his job! ' arid 'Prosperity follows a sane Government! ' So it does, but the trouble lay in the fact that we did not have a sane Government. We have tramped for four weary years, and instead of equality of sacrifice, we have experienced inequality of sacrifice. Instead of sane finance we have been wellnigh bankrupted by destructive deflation. Corner after corner have we turned, but never a sight of prosperity have we glimpsed. Sorrowfully we nave discovered that some practical joker had turned the signpost the wrong way. So now it is that we are sitting by the roadside listening to those who would direct our destinies for the next four years.

" The question to ask ourselves," added Dr M'Millan, " is, are we once again going to take the wrong turning? Are we going to support those whose past prophesies have erred so badly, whose promises have proved unreliable airy vapourings, and who have betrayed the trust that was- placed in them at last election, or are we going to pin our faith to those who would usher in the dawn of a new day? .AH are agreed that the Labour. Party's policy is desirable. The only thing is, is it practicable? It is practicable, and I am convinced that if you will put aside your pre-existing prejudices which have been so carefully fostered by that enemy of the people, the biassed press, and listen to what I have to say, you will agree that our nolicy is well within the realms of practicability." Dr M'Millan said that one of the problems facing New Zealand to-day was that there was more work to be done than there were men to do it. The people needed better roads, move bridges, many miles of railway line whose deplorable state of repair was a constant menace to the travelling public needed relaying, tourist resorts must be made more acccssable, huge afforestation and irrigation areas needed developing, Crown lands needed improving, the people required better homes, and huge volumes' of manufactured articles were urgently needed by the people. The inauguration of such a comprehensive, constructional, and developmental campaign would provide occupations and income for the people; it would, in a year or two, repay many times the monev snent upon it; it Avould enhance and enrich the national resources and enable thousands of people to make better use of the gifts which God had given this country. The only problem was to connect this work with payment Labour did not want to make unnecessary work, but to share the necessary work. The Government and its supporters, added Dr M'Millan, claimed to have restored prosperity and to have' restored confidence, but confidence was the one thing that the present Government bad not restored. New Zealand was in urgent need of a new progressive, imaginative policy that would bring true confidence and true freedom to her people, by guaranteeing them all economic security. Dr M'Millan spent some time in directing the attention of the audience to what he termed " the guiding principles of the Labour Party." He dealt fully with most of the major points of the party's-plat-form, explainnig the policy of the party in connection with compulsory arbitration, pensions, the sales tax and general taxation, broadcasting, the Companies Act, workers' compensation, mental hospitals, a national superannuation scheme, and the proposed national health service. At the conclusion of his address, Dr M'Millan read a telegram which he had just received from Auckland. It read: " With regard Scrimgeour broadcast being interfered with Sunday. Powerful portable transmitter on wheels located on Post and Telegraph Department premises, Newmarket, by police after intervention by Mayor, Auckland. — (Signed) John Lee." Dr M'Millan said that if the Government were responsible for this, then it deserved an overwhelming defeat to-mor-row. (Extended report by arrangement.)