GAINING FRIENDS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19100, 22 August 1936, Page 4

GAINING FRIENDS

LABOUR GOVERNMENT MR. D. W. COLEMAN'S VIEW TttSTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS (Parliamentary Roportpr.) WELLINGTON, this day. A claim that the Labour Government's policy already liad effected a great change in the condition of New Zealand for the better, and that the party he represent ed \va s gaining friends steadily with those who had had opportunities of seeing the effect of its policy, was made by Mr. D. VV. Coleman, the member for Gisborne, in his imprest supply debate contribution. : Mr. Coleman took up the cudgels on behalf of the Government, in response to Opposition critics who blamed the Cabinet for not taking off the exchange and for the general effect of recent legislation; and in the course of his remarks he stated that eventually exchange would be reduced, and other promises of the Government fulfilled to the letter. FARM WAGES AND EXCHANGE The member for Gisborne referred, in opening, to the criticism levelled at the present Government in respect of legislation touching the interests of the farmers. The Government had been held to bo no friend of (he farmers, he said, since as a result of its policy the farmers could not get labour for the work on their properties. The inference was clear that because wages in other lines of employment had increased, men could not be persuaded to keep their jobs, or to accept jobs on farms.

The Government was condemned for many things, lie said, aiid it was. amusing to note- the Opposition criticising the Government for not wiping out legislation which they themselves* had put upon the Statute Book. With regard to farm wages, was it to be assumed that the last Government, had befriended the farmers by forcing down wages in other directions so that more men might be induced to accept farm jobs! Regarding sales tax and exchange, Mr. Coleman asserted that the Prime Minister had never undertaken that they would be altered immediately on the Labour Party coming into power. No statement to that effect had been made by the Prime Minister or any other member of the party, ho hold. Members of the Opposition, who belonged to the party which established the high exchange rate and the sales tax, would recognise that it was easier to nut on such taxes* than to take them off; and that sudden exchange movements would be ruinous, to business. That fact was known to the Opposition, but apparently that did not concern them. "WILL LIVE UP TO EVERY PROMISE"

"The Lalx>ur Party will live up to every promise it has made," continued Mr. Coleman. "No doubt that very fact ! s causing the'Opposition a good deal of •oncern. The Labour Government has been in office only a few months, but Rven the Opposition will admit that more lias been done in those- few months than aver before in the history of the country. The Government is showing that it is the friend of all the people, and not merely the friend of a- particular, section.

'"ln my travels I find every section of the public is satisfied with the Labour government; I do not say that the people are unanimous, but the majority )f every section arc satisfied. The membeV for New Plymouth has declared that ll the. Labour Party faced the electors tomorrow, it. would be defeated. I think that if certain members of the Opposition benches were to face the electors tomorrow, they would find their places here occupied by additional-Government .nembers."