AUSTRALIA'S NEED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17239, 21 April 1930, Page 12

AUSTRALIA'S NEED

"DOWN TO WORK"

MR. LATHAM'S ADDRESS SYDNEY. April s. ‘Mil Austi;iiin today we have t<> recognise th; 1 1- hv must buckle down lo work,” s;iid Mr. •!. (>. Latham, leader of the I Opposition, spenking ul ('row’s Xesr lnsi night. ‘‘The fuels which fuec ns to-day constitute a challenge | ( > ~ur .intelligence and courage, and 1 believe we will be prepared fo accept 1 lie cliaiJeiiye. ’ ’ Air. Latham paid a tribute lo .Mr. Bruce.

“The ex Crime Minister is,” lie said, “a man of complete sincerity and disinterestedness.” (Applause.)

‘‘ When you hear stories of wild extravagance,” said Air. Latham, ‘‘you should remember that its far as the Commonwealth, as distinct, from the Stales, is concerned the net increase of del>| during the last seven years lias been less than .C2,o()(l,(Hit) a year. During those seven years there has.been an increase of 013,000,000, but as against that the Commonwealth has W 0,000,000 of indubitable assets — .227,000,000 in the Lost Ol'lice and 2!.",,000,0011 in war service homes. . . . And these war service homes are the best investment, ever made in this count ry. (Applause.) BEYOND on; ALLANS • After describing wliaf had brought about the unfavorable trade balance, Air. Latham said: ‘‘We luce been livi ll e beyond our means. We have been spending more than we have been getting, and we have to come down. Lor a time, if our leaders are holiest, we are going to have unpopular politics. Lor many years in Australia you had not heard anything unpopular until last election, when Air, .Bruce did say some unpleasant and unpopular tilings. You are going to hear more un.pleasant and unpopular things in the future.” During the Federal election, said .Mr Latham, the policy of the Nationalist L'overinnent, as declared by Air. Bruce, was to reduce Ihe cost of production, thereby reducing prices, increasing the value of wages, and making :if possible (o sell Australian goods ■overseas. (Applaiise.) At Ihe same lime, according to posters In’ had seen in Victoria, the policy of the Scullin parly was: “No reduction in wages, work for all, and no tax on amusements.” (Laughter.) “Only one promise has been kepi,” Mr. Latham went on. “There is no tax on amusements. . . . H remains to be seen how long that will last. “The results on a certain station in Queensland will show that the cost of production must be reduced,” said Air. Latham. ‘‘Two years ■ago the price received for its wool bv Chat station was 20d a lb.; lasi year it was ltd, and this year Sjjd. The cost of producing that wool under good management was from I Id to Is a .lb. That cannot go on. The. matter must be dealt will. ” (Applaiise.) STATE OL CHAOS Dealing with the tariff, Mr. Latham declared that tlie action of the Scullin Government would bring' about tremendous confusion; oven a state of chaos in the importing world. Many people, would be ruined, and many more lost their employment. The Govern men I should at once announce, a time-limit for those prohibitions. (Applause.) Those mutters should lie discussed on the Hour of the House. It was an unsatisfactory thing that any unit in the community should he able to go to the Minister and declare an absolute prohibition on the importation into Australia of an article which might be the raw material of an indust rv.

A voice; W'hai slops would von take?

Mr. Latham: The prohibition should he laid on the tables of both Houses, and be ineffective unless passed within

a specified time, (Applause.) “ I hope that the people of Australia will learn the lesson that more legislative action will never deal eflieienfly and successfully with our industrial affairs. Wages and profits alike come from prosperity, amt not from the decisions of courts,” (Applause.)

Mr. Latham then mentioned the case of an industrial roneem ’which for some years had paid £IOOH a week in wages, but had nptde no profits. When the bonus system was mentioned by the management and accepted by the cm ploy ties the union threatened Hint the employees would be declared “black” lit every place in Australia. There were many other interferences with that concern in the effort to make it pay, and the present position was that it was paying .POP a week in wages, had dismissed half its stalf, and was making f> per cent, for I he first I ime in t lie history of t lie ni-

I erpnse. Mr. Latham asked whether the Government proposed to tax the farmer rather than amusements. “If it does,” lie declared, “I am on the other side, unpopular or otherwise. . (Applause.)

“If you increase ificome taxes il cannot be done except at the cost id the most appalling unemployment. Unless a miracle happens there will be an enormous increase in income tax, aml t ha | will bring will: il more unemployment. „So long as tho Government refuses to face flic question of a. reduction in the cost of production I here will not he a solution of* the problems which face Australia lodav.” END OF CONSTITUTION Referring to the referendum proposals, Mr. Latham said that he had boon unable to summon any enthusiasm for them. An expensive political campaign would be involved which would not produce anything towards a solution of present problems. If Hie first proposal were carried .it would mean an end of the Constitution altogether, because the Federal .Rn i’-11,-imeu| should coniine its activities to national affairs.

If the Federal Government had let Mr, Bavin alone Hie miners would have been back at work long ago. (A pplanxe.) Air. Holman, who seconded a vote of jhniiks to Mr. Lai ham, 'which was proposed by Mr. Marks, ALL,A., said that Hie record of the Sciillin Government was one of absolute barrenness so far as constructive proposals were concerned. “Mr. Keuliin will not have any factious opposition from Mr. Latham in the crisis,” said the I'rentier, Mr. Bavin, who arrived from another meeting. “.Mr. Lai ham will be an Australian before he is a party man. (Applause.) We all hope In see him head of the next Australian Government. ’ ’ (Applause. )