A BID FOR VOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17437, 8 April 1931, Page 12

A BID FOR VOTES

LAEOR LEADER’S PLEDGE WAGE REDUCTION ISSUE (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Criticism of :i statement made by the Prime Minister regarding the expense of the present session of Parliament was made by Mr. Holland, leader of the Labor Party', speaking at the Labor conference. . He said: “On March lit) a deliberately misleading statement was given the press by the Prime Minister regarding the extra cost to the country of the special session. In this statement Mr. Forbes included the salaries of members and oDicers of Parliament and other items of expense which go on whether tho House is in session or in recess. He even included the depreciation of furniture as an extra duo to the holding of the session. This grossly inaccurate statement was made clearly for the purpose of discrediting the Labor Party in its opposition to wage reductions. ’ ’

A promise that ,if given a majority in Parliament a Labor Government would repeal wages cuts, was given by Mr. Holland. He said: “The cuts have been closured through the House of Representatives by the combined votes of the United and Reform parties. No one can he optimistic enough to expect the Legislative Council to reject the bill. Whether the cuts will remain in operation after the end of the present year will depend sohdv upon the public servants and t tic wageworkers generally. They have the matter in their own hands. A Labor Government coining into office "ill Jose no time in repealing the wagereducing legislation. ’ ’