TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26963, 24 December 1948, Page 8

TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY

Sir,—“A Rattan ” would appear less stupid if he attempted to refute . my charges against the Government instead of indulging in a lot of silly chatter. For instance, what part did the Forbes-Coates Government of 1931 have to do with the land settlement administration of 1913 when Mr Massey was Prime Minister? He also says ” the present Government has done more for the common people than any in New Zealand’s history.” If that is so; then, why is it the workers are turning away in thousands from the Socialist administration; why. is there so much discontent throughout the country; why do young able-bodied couples with one child find it necessary, under Socialism, to get child allowance? What is child allowance—is it not money taken from the worker and then handed back to him as a State benefit? Why should married women with families find it necessary to go out to work? They did not have to do it in the prosperous days; before labour messed up our economy and swamped the country with cheap money. A Let “A Rattar ” answer these questions truthfully and sensibly without resorting to petty abuse.—l am. etc.. >. Matilda. Sir,—l plead not guilty- as of the cronies that belittled- a previous Government as for bitterness: becabse you do not agree with her, and . a belittljr cf a Government " Matilda ’’ .takes, the biscuit. Yes, ‘‘Matilda,” I well remember when there was plenty of goods about, but I would ask her -and others that gloat about it, did they ever sit down calmly and calculate of the human beings that "worked and worried to produce them, and if they had received their fair share for doing so at the time. • I was a producer, so will give some of the prices:—Oats, Is 6d a bushel (cheap oatmeal); 4Jd a lb for pork (cheap bacon). I milked 20 cows, produced three times the butter-fat produced to-day off seven cows on the same farm, but received less money (plenty butter for “Matilda”). Swede turnips: One day every week, wet or fine, horse and cart were used to get six sugar bags of swedes which had to be cleaned, yet after paying all expenses, I had Is 6d left. Manuka wood I cut, sledged, sawed into blocks,, and bagged into large sacks for 10Jd the sack. As for the manufactured goods, a lot of them made in Germany and Japan, we were not able to buy although so cheap. Houses: According to statistics, less people live in the houses than formerly., so there must.have been a crowd in some rpoms before Labour came into power. Hovels, a legacy left, because the houses built by the Labour Government are too elaborate, so the' National Party ■say. . ‘ All the ills and ailments to-day. according to ” Matila,” are due to Labour. Well, on ’the eve of three score and ten, let tne say without being too optimistic, I have never seen more prosperous and better-dressed people in this country than to-day.' I do not give Labour all the credit, but they must get their share for the solid foundation they laid>-I am, etc.. . y A Sufferer.

Sir,—Numerous writers have exploded •• Matilda’S ” argument concerning the previous ' Government’s-, policy on land settlement if or returned men. He stated that the : lftst-war*, men would be greyheaded before they were settled on the land. It is better to be grey-headed than to spend numerous years of hard work on land settlements and- then to be put out—at it happened after World War I. The present Government's policy is to prove .the farm to be a paying proposition before the returned man takes possession. Also, he must have a • practical knowledge of farming before he is allowed a farm, - Which, I think, is sound sense. •* Matilda ” also blames the present Government for the housing shortage. If the previous Government had put as much energy into housing schemes 20 years ago (when there was plenty of men ana materials) as Labour is doing to-day, there would be no housing shortage. As for the shortage of Imports, sane business will only allow us to buy what can be paid for. The policy of previous Governments was to buy all the luxuries that werfii reqqired, and when there was no more money they borrowed, leaving a load on the workers' back for time everlasting. . There is no working man or woman—or small farmer—to-day who does realise how well off he is.—l am. etc., • ,-Not a Matilda-