COMMUNIST ORGANISER’S ADDRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27091, 27 May 1949, Page 6

COMMUNIST ORGANISER’S ADDRESS

Sir,—ln your issue Of' May 25, your correspondent, “ Poleaxe” says New. Zealand’s only hope is to revert to>thei 44 of'43-hour 'week; I .say -that the t good Lord did not • put man into world to work the daylight and sunlight hours of his life away iti ’ factor^; or mine, to make profits for ' his • employer. I am one of the countless thousands who are in the majority in New Zealand] thankfully, who can still remember the 44-hour week. Work in this machine, age should be reduced, not extended. It is a signifificant fact that of all the Tory speeches or ‘ propaganda I have heard ,or read, there has not been one mention of the 40-hour week.. Could this be that they intend to spring a 44-hour week if they ever become. the Government? No, the people have notforgotten the 44-hour week, nor are; their ..memories nearly as short as the Tory party hopes that they are.—l am, etc.,: . Common Sense.

Sir, —So * Matilda ” has gone back tothe Maori Land Worker period for v another sneer at Labour. Why does she not go back to the stone age period? The evidence she desires is surely there for the sifting. “ Matilda” must surely have been at a loss for data, judging by her last futile effort. Of course, labour leaders organised and fought for-their fellowworkers for better conditions and pay in those days.-; Where would the trade union movement be .to-rday if -they had not done so? There would have been no trade unions to-day at all if the Tory leaders of those days had their way, for . they fought strenuously against them. But Labour to-day- not only has to fight their tradionally old foe, the large employers, but also their new enemy, the Communists; in that respect, it could truly be said (to misquote the old Crimea epic), viz., “That Labour has its old enemy—the large employer—in front of them, the Communists to the left of them and-their (Communists’) ‘fellow travellers* to the rear of them (snipers), with the enemy of indifference to the right of them, but boldly they march on,” etc. No wonder the Labour Cabinet seeks the advice of their loyal supporters in conference. For we live in difficult times, my readers, leading a Government to-day is not quite as easy as during the days of the Tory rule. . But the Government has the satisfaction of knowing that it has raised the standard of living of the average citizen to a higher plane than ever before, despite the futile efforts of all the “Matildas” and her ilk.—T am, etc.. Plain Jane. . May 26. Sir,—Says O. Johnston, Karitane: “I have never changed since I had a vote, l and that is well over 50 years.” What an awful confession to make; no development in 50 years!—l am. etc., Sorry