LABOUR'S ANSWER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23299, 17 September 1937, Page 10

LABOUR'S ANSWER

FULFILMENT OF PROMISES A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT NEW FEELING OF STABILITY (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Sept. 16. An assertion that the only taxation reductions made by the last Government were those on beer and the totalisator was made by the Minister of Education (Mr P. Fraser) when replying in the House of Representatives to-night to points raised by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr A. Hamilton) during the Address-in-Reply debate. Mr Fraser said that in his references to the taxation policy of the Labour Party Mr Hamilton had shown " sheer audacity and recklessness." "The Leader of the Opposition has not. been as careful, wellguarded, and responsible in his statements as we have been accustomed to find," Mr Fraser said. " Instead of his more responsible position bringing an increased sense of responsibility his statements indicate that he considers that the more audacious and risky he is and the fewer facts he has for the foundation of his arguments, then the more successful a leader he will be. The honourable gentleman's references to taxation show this. He talks of the sales tax and this Government not taking it off. But the sales tax was imposed by his Government, and the reason the collections from it have gone up is that the people are in a better position to buy the commodities on which the tax is levied. The sum total of the last Government's fiscal achievements was to reduce the taxation on beer and the totalisator. A Labour member: What about the graduated land tax being lifted to assist the banks?

"Oh, yes, they did that, too," replied Mr Fraser, "but I am talking about the taxation policy of that Government as it affected general commodities. Its greatest achieve-

ment was to reduce the taxation on beer and, of course, I have no doubt that such a step was a great benefit to the community generally. A CHARGE REFUTED "Then we are accused of using the broadcasting facilities for propaganda," Mr Fraser continued, "but the fact that to-night probably tens of thousands of people are listening in and can hear the Leader of the Opposition without let or hindrance is the most conclusive refutation of that charge. Now, what opportunity did the last Government give Labour when it was in opposition to get its side of the question over the air? Policy statement after policy statement was made by the last Government without the Labour Party being given a chance to state its case. That the people of the Dominion can put themselve- into the galleries of the House, as it were, at will, and listen to the debates, even though they might be living in the remotest parts of the country, is the fairest refutation of the charge. Mr Hamilton: I did not make that complaint. Mr Fraser: Here is the Government for the first time since broadcasting has been on this national basis giving an equal opportunity to its political opponents and at the same time being under a pledge that on controversial matter of any sort the other side will get its equal opportunity. Mr Coates: Only in Parliament. " No, no, not only in Parliament," Mr Fraser retorted. " The right honourable gentleman himself repeatedly made statements over the air when his Government was in force and gave the other side no opportunity to reply." THE TAXATION ISSUE "How is the honourable gentleman going to reduce taxation? " Mr Fraser asked. "Is he going to reduce pensions and repeat the policy carried out by his Government previously? Is he going to claim that he can get money for social services out of thin air? " Mr Forbes had reiterated that he would do _ the same things again if the position warranted it. The member for Kaipara, however, had a certain amount of change of heart. Mr K. J. Holyoake (Opposition, Molueka): More personalities! Mr Fraser: The member for Kaipara is quite capable of looking after himself. He has done it for many years. Mr Fraser said that Mr Coates, addressing a meeting of young Nationalists in Auckland, had made reference to the fact that he thought the last Government had gone too far. Looking back in the light of experience, Mr Coates had said, he could see that some of the less popular methods adopted during the depression could have been avoided. That, Mr Fraser said, was an admission that Mr Coates was convinced that the worst features of the policy could have been avoided. Mr Coates: The country came through with flying colours. Proceeding to deal with Labour's election pledges, Mr Fraser said that no one could deny that the wage and salary cuts had been restored. National superannuation would be dealt with this session. Did the Leader of the Opposition like to claim that a matter his party had been thinking about for 26 years could not have been put into operation up to the present moment? PLEDGES HONOURED The pledges to take control of credit and grant guaranteed prices had been carried out, Mr Fraser said. He was establishing that these pledges had been carried out, and carried out in the first session of

Parliament, which was an unprecedented fulfilment of promises so far as the House was concerned. Mr Fraser mentioned also the reduction in the hours of labour, the extension of health services, and education. Educational opportunities for the children in rural areas, he said, had been extended as never before. The Savings Bank deposits, which were one of the best tests, had increased from £24,100,000 in 1935 to £30,600,000 in 1937. This was proof of the widespread nature of the Government's social legislation. There was not much indication of ruin in those figures. Then there were real wages, and the figures showed that they had gone un with a shorter working week and the benefits of added leisure. The real wages for the June quarter of 1937 showed an increase of 7 per cent, compared with the same quarter for 1936 and of 9 per cent, compared with 1935. Real wages had risen in New Zealand, while they had declined in other countries. A SENSE OF SECURITY It appeared, Mr Fraser proceeded, that members of the Opposition could not oppose a single piece of legislation which the Government had placed on the Statute Book. The wage-slashers and reducers of pensions had become converted on the Opposition benches. Even if they did not approve of the guaranteed price scheme the Government had the commendation of Mr W. Goodfellow and the London authorities and the gratitude of dairy farmers throughout the Dominion. All over the country people had a sense of security. He had recently visited Mr Coates's electorate, and at a meeting which was not political a man had risen and had said that the district was certainly not opposed to the guaranteed price. No one connected with the dairy industry would return to the old order of things. The unemployment returns sent in by farmers whose valuations did not exceed £3OOO showed that their income had increased by 62 per cent, during the past season. Sir Alfred Ransom (Opposition, Pahiatua): Will the Government reduce the tax accordingly? " The net income of these farmers averaged £IBO in 1936," Mr Fraser said, "and it has now increased to £ 295. Opposition members can misrepresent and libel the Government until they are black in the face, but in every home in the land there is more pi-osperity, more income, and, above all, more security than ever existed under the previous Government." Mr Fraser also referred to housing and unemployment, and said the Government would not rest until everybody who was able-bodied was in work.

" The Opposition has launched a challenge to the Government," Mr Fraser concluded. "It knows it cannot succeed in this House. It is endeavouring to impress the country. The country was impressed at the last election and it will be similarly impressed at the next election."