SIR. JAS. ALLEN

Otago Witness, Issue 3429, 2 December 1919, Page 28

SIR. JAS. ALLEN

SPEECH AT KAITANGATA

(FROii Our Special Reporter.) KAITANGATA, November 24. Sir James Allen (Minister of Finance) addressed a meeting in the Church Hall th» evening. Mr T. Gage (Mayor) presided. Sir James Allen said his opponent was a so-called Liberal, and he himself was a member of the Reform Party. There was no great difference in politics between the two parties. He regretted, that the best men of the parties were not able to join hands as they did during the war to carry the country on during the next few years. The most troublous times were the times ahead of them, and they wanted the best brains of the people behind them in. trying to solve the problems that lay before them. Ho urged the people, therefore, to use their judgment in selecting the best men to help to .see the country through the difficulties before it—(Applause.) He repeated that be regretted that the two parties, separated so slightly as they were by political differences, did not join together to enable a strong party to carrv the country on. After a reference to local matters, he said that in the administration of the Military Service Act there had been no difference and no differentiation made between rich and poor or between one sect and another. As Minister in charge he had dealt out even-handed justice to everybody. A brief reference was made to the cost of living and the housing problem. In connection with the latter question, he spoko of the conditions under which people could build houses and make them their own. and he advised his audience to obtain full particulars from the local postmaster. An honest endeavour had been made to make provision for the housing of the people. Speaking of the amendment of the Coal Mines Act last session, he said it provided for the proper storage of explosives, the safety of coupling ropes and cages, and the requisition of® private lands for State coal mines. It gave power to the Minister to require the owners of coal lands to work those lands, and it also provided that the State might securo its own colliers, and that the owners of coal mines should build satisfactory houses for their employees. The miners' phthisis pension increased so far as married men were concerned from 20s to 30s a week, and so far as single men were conoerned from 15s to 20s a week. The position of the widow of. a miner who died from phthisis had also been improved. Hitherto there had been a limit of two years in which she could receive a pension, but that period had been taken away, and she could now receive the pension for life. The pension for a widow with children was also inadequate, and better provision would be made in that respect. The classes of children who might receive assistance had been extended.

A grave necessity existed in New Zealand for increased production. He admitted the right of workers to strike—(applause) —if everything else failed. In securing what he believed to be justice the worker should have the right, to strike, but the strike was a bad thing for him and for the country. He did not believe the strike would ever be necessary, in New Zealand if the emplover and the employee would submit their case to public opinion and allow public opinion to judge.

A Voice: Public opinion knows nothing about mining. Sir James Allen: Well, public opinion knew something about the cost of coal, and the public knew a great deal about the conditions under which the miners worked. If not, they ought to be educated in that respect. A strike was justifiable only when public opinioa backed it up. He regretted that some of the advisers of the miners had advised the men to go slow. He did not know if there was any "go-slow" in Kaitangata.—(A Voice: Any amount of it.) If so, public opinion was against the miners, and the_ men were doing more harm to than to anybody else. They were limiting their wages; and doing harm to their wives and children and to the country by not giving a fair day's work. — (Applause.) _ He hoped if there was any "go-slow'' in Kaitangata it would be stopped, and he congratulated the district on the fact that no strike had taken place there during war time. He wished the same could be said of 'other mining districts. What was to be done in the future? A Voice: Put the Labour Party in power.

Sir James Allen said one of "the objects of the Labour Party was to destroy the capitalistic system altogether.—(Applause.) If they did that, what would they put in place of it? —(A_ Voice: Bolshevism.) He did not know whether the gentleman knew what Bolshevism, meant, but -if he knew some of the horrors of it he would not advocate it in New Zealand. They must cultivate public- opinion among the employers and also among the employees, and that was batter than Bolshevism. lie suggested that the most promising- solution of the Labour unrest f-eemed to be the recommendations of the Whitley Commission that employers and employees should elect sentatives, and meet dnd control and manage the varices industries. That was being done in England. He did not know why some of the workers were opposed to a profit-sharing scheme. It was working in several instances in Ne\v Zealand already with good success. He n(xt took up the subject of pensions. He was not prepared to say that a general superannuation scheme could be brought in in New Zealand. Ho would welcome such a scheme, as it would relieve the necessity of the people when they grew old, but ho did not think it would be sound to introduce any such scheme unless these who were jo participate in it helped to make provision for it during ;heir lifetime. There should be a contribution from those who were to participate in any general superannuation or old-age pension scheme during the time they were able to contribute. He did not know whether <ho new Parliament would face this problem, but that would have to be done. The alternative was to instil into the minds of the people the necessity for making provision for old ago. an 1 that seemed to be a practical impossibility.

Sir James Allen also referred to Territorial training l and other matters, and closed >v.ith a few remarks en the national memorial to be erected to the men who sacrificed their lives in the war in the "interests of the country.

In replying to questions. Sir Jame 3 Allen said that no special preference was given to Roman Catholics under the Military Service Act. —(Applause.) ■ Encouragement was being fjiven to nfie clubs, whiui hnd been notified that their privileges were to be extended. In regard to the Travelling Medi-

cal Board's action 'respecting' out-patients, he believed there were some cases in Domed in \n which tho board had not exercised the wisest judgment, and those cases were to be reviewed. He had seen two of the case.-- himself. He would not say that the Government should take over the Kaitangata and Taratu railways until he was satisfied it was the right thing to do. Corporal D'Oridant was oourt-martialled because ho accused a superior officer of drunkenness. Subsequently it was found that iomo of the evidence given at the court-martial was not satisfactory. Corporal. D'Oridant had received full payment, amounting to .'jbout £156, and the public ha 3 been informed through the newspapers of the whole proceedings. The officer concerned was out of New Zealand, and no action could be taken respecting him. When asked if it was the intention of the Government to distribute the canteen funds among the returned soldiers, Sir James •Alien ?aid that a proposal for the disposal of portion of the canteen funds had been referred to the Returned Soldiers' Associations for a recommendation, but so far no recommendation had come to hand. Many other questions were asked, after which, on tho motion of Mr A. Gillanders, seconded by Mr H. Cornish, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Sir James Allen for his address.