MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27386, 11 May 1950, Page 8

MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS

Credit Claimed For Labour REVIEW BY MR FRASER PA AUCKLAND, May 10. “ I consider it necessary to dwell at some length on the very important works begun by the Labour Government. because it would seem that the Ministers of the present Government are endeavouring, with the help of certain very willing press allies, to purloin the credit for the progressive and courageous decisions which inaugurated the works, and which belongs to the Labour Government and its Minister of Works. Mr Semple.” said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Fraser, presenting the report of the Parliamentary Labour Party to the annual conference last night. Had the Labour Government been returned to office, the work of electrifying the North Island Main Trunk railway would have been put in hand by now, said Mr Fraser. The general manager of railways. Mr E. W. Aickin, had brought back a scheme from Britain and a contract for consideration. As the election was impending, neither the then Minister of Railways, Mr Semple, nor Cabinet had considered that the signing of a contract at that time would have been a right and proper thing to do. The production of the huge integrated timber and pulp paper mill which Labour had planned to establish at Murupara would have meant an annual saving to the sterling area of over 10,000,000 dollars, said Mr Fraser. It would be safe to say that if there had been no war there would have been no electricity problem in the country today. The work of investigating the practicability of using thermal steam for producing electricity had been well advanced before the general election. Surplus in Public Aocounts

Mr Fraser said the public accounts for the financial year ended March 31 had not yet been announced by the Minister of Finance, Mr Holland, but, according to information supplied by the departments - in December, before the Labour Government’s resignation, the revenue for the year should show a surplus over expenditure, with some balance in hand to meet the new de-t mands for defence purposes. “The Labour Party in the House will guard jealously the social security scheme, which it created and is justly proud of,” said Mr Fraser. Had Labour remained in office, many of the points doctors and patients found irksome in the medical benefits scheme would have been eliminated.

“We carry with us into Opposition full responsibility for. a continuance of the policy of support for the British Commonwealth and United Nations, and the’responsibilities that we accepted in support of that policy,” continued Mr Fraser. “At the moment it is difficult to determine what it is possible to do effectively to safeguard the nations of the Pacific from aggression.

“ It is clear that close friendship with our Mother Country, the nations of the Commonwealth, and the United States, is essential to the fOture of our country.” *> Referring to the split in the industrial Labour movement, Mr Fraser said he hoped the party’s new National Executive would “ closely consider ” the reported statements of the national president of the Waterside Workers’ Union, Mr H. Barnes, the New Zealand Tramways Union, and the Auckland section of the New Zealand Trades Union Congress (representatives of these organisations are at the conference). Labour Federation Supported Mr Fraser paid a glowing tribute to the Federation of Labour, and expressed the hope that all differences in the trade union movement would be speedily settled on “ that democratic basis so essential to the progress of Labour. “From the first day of the Labour Government’s taking office until the hour of our temporary defeat and resignation, we had the benefit of the full co-operation and whole-hearted assistance of the federation,” he said. “We tender our sincere thanks to the National Executive and affiliations. The important part of the federation in the war effort and throughout the difficult post-war period had not received the recognition it deserved. ■ “In acknowledging the party’s indebtedness and expressing our thanks to the federation, I take this opportunity of voicing the hope that the beneficial collaboration between the federation and the Parliamentary Labour Party will continue permanently,” said Mr Fraser.