ON THE HUSTINGS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19757, 11 October 1938, Page 16

ON THE HUSTINGS

ISSUES AT STAKE

the country, and the earlier proud chapters of that same history were being disregarded. An outburst from the rear of the hall included a remark: “Good old Mickey!” Currency and Credit Mr. Toogood referred to the Government's declared intention to take charge of the currency and credit of the country, and reminded his audience that money was only a measure of the exchange of goods and services. One might make all the money in the world, but it would not be useful in itself; it could have value only as a means of promoting exchange of goods and services. If the Government proposed to take over the control of credit, it must also manage the exchange of cheques, which were a valuable and essential means of finance. Thinking people must decide whether the Government should have that authority. They would probably decide next Saturday that the Government had already gone too far! (Applause and interjections.) “This Government takes some pride in fulfilling all its promises,” added Mr. Toogood, drawing applause from the rear of the hall. “But this is not a promise; it is a threat!” he added. The speaker mentioned the serious effect which sole government control of public credit would have upon public organisations such as friendly societies, which could not exist if control of their own investments was taken from them. The Ministers and other candidates representing the Government in this campaign were loath to discuss this proposal to take over the control of public credit, and it was not beyond possibility that the Prime Minister, who, of course, did not believe in orthodox finance, did not fully understand the import of his proposal. (Jeers and uproar from a minority.) He had refused to answer a series of questions on the control of currency and credit put to him by a National paper, and the onlygrounds disclosed for his refusalgiven by his secretary—was that he was receiving so many questions on the subject that he had no time to answer them. Attack on Capitalism : The speaker's subsequent remarks I upon the Government’s policy, which] he described as an attack on capi- I talism, created further noise at the 1 back of the hall, and Mr. Toogood drew attention to an interjector who he described as having “ducked down behind a sent” after making a critical remark. When He indicated the man to a constable, with the remark that one dealt summarily with those who were not more courageous, a large section of the audience got up and left the hall. As they crowded to the door, Mr. ioogood remarked that il had been useless for him to talk to them, and a woman raised cheers for Mr. Savage. “Have we no answer to that,” asked Mr. Toogood of the remainder of the audience, and at his call, lusty cheers were raised for the National Party.

LABOUR’S OBJECTIVES INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY ALTERNATIVE TO FREEDOM MR. IT. F. TOGO GOD SPEAKS The creation of an industrial democracy, as the objective or those who have strong influence with, if not control over, the Labour Government in. New Zealand, was a majoi theme in the address given to a good attendance in the Opera House last evening by Mr. H. F. Toogood, Wellington, in support of the Nationalist cause.

The speaker declared that this industrial democracy meant the supersession of the real democratic form of Government for which the British constitution had provided, and the loss of all control of industry by those whose efforts had built up the country to its present stage of development. He dealt eloquently with this and several other of the deeper issues of Ihe present election campaign, earning frequent applause from the major section of the large audience. Mr. Toogood early came into conflict with holders of opposing views, who left the hall in a body after a final exchange, giving cheers for the Prime Minister. These cheers were answered vehemently by the Nationalist portion of the audience. Deeply-Defined Cleavages The meeting was presided over by Mr. F. R. Ball, chairman of the Poverty Bay Electric-Power Board, who introduced Mr. Toogood as one whom manv of the Gisborne public had heard before, and who was known as an effective and well-informed speaker.

Lines of cleavage had become so deeply defined, said Mr. Toogood, in opening, that people had now to study

Continuing his address, Mr. Toogood declared that thrift was still a sound virtue despite the attitude of the Government and the Prime Minister, who wanted to see the “industrial democracy" realised, and knew that :he people's savings were the bulwark of tile economic structure of to-day. The capital which built houses and created services for the public was the sum of the savings of tire people, and people who saved by thrift were entitled to the highest honours. During the slump years those most severely affectcd had been those who depended upon the building trade; the reason was Hint the business of building houses depended on the investments of the small and thrifty capitalists of the country. When their investments were not forthcoming, the building trade collapsed. Issue of Socialism Discussing the issue of socialism, Mr. Toogood read excerpts from the platform of the Labour Party, with its emphasis on the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange, lie remarked that Ministers and others were declaring Ihe charges of socialism were “bunkum," but that was not true. The Government party was a socialistic party, and. given a renewal of power, would put their socialistic programme into effect. Socialism must not be confused with social services, lie added. The State’s right to conduct certain services for the community could not be contested, but that was no reason why monopolistic control should be extended to private business. Socialism and State management tended to produce stagnation. Socialism could only take over; it could not create. Better travel facilities were not developed by the railways system under State control; outside competition had produced tile improvements. The invention of radio and its development was not the exploit of the monopolistic State telegraphic service; it had been taken over after private capital and individual genius had developed it. Concluding his address, Mr. Toogobd stated that lie wished to refer to the question of industrial unrest. Many had devoutly hoped that the election of a Labour Government would mean tiie end of industrial strife. It had seen an increase in trouble, and much of the trouble was mere pin-pricking. There were instances of food being allowed to rot for trivial reasons, of the interference by' unionists with private businesses, of the suggestions of blackmail in the case of an Auckland bakery where a man was justifiably discharged. “Disobedient Unionism”

principles, rather than personalities and parties. The principles now being debated would affect the history of the Dominion for generations to come.

It was almost to be believed, from what was heard to-day, that this country had had no history prior to 1930; that before that year was a perfect blank. Yet lie had been much impressed, when travelling by air to Gisborne, by the vast expanse of pasture lands and cultivated fields, which exemplified the work of the pioneers in New Zealand. When one thought that 80 years ago this land did not know a blade of English grass, and that to-day the pastures carried stock of the highest order in the world, it made one proud of the pioneers, and of the spirit of individual self-reli-ance on which they had developed tiie country. “Measure of Inflation”

In the past three years, lie continued, the country had known a wave of prosperity, the national income having increased enormously as a result of the rise in overseas markets for primary produce. New Zealand people had enjoyed its share of the general prosperity, felt throughout the world; but, in addition, it had had a share of inllation, due to the Government’s use of the “credit of the public,” which, in effect, had increased the money in circulation by way of borrowing from the public purse.

Mr. Toogood referred generally to the causes and effects of the slump, and quoted tHo experience of Russia, which was in an excellent position, if any country was, to withstand the slump. Yet despite an increase of the note circulation from two milliards of roubles to six milliards, there was starvation and despair. In Germany, where again the Government had complete and arbitrary authority, and in Italy, another totalitarian State, things were little better. •‘Pmnp Priming” Every country if ell before the onslaught of the depression, sooner or later; and even the United States, possessing half the world's gold at least, and the world's greatest diversification of industry and marketing organisation, had seen its banks closed, and widespread distress occurring. The "pump-priming" methods of the United States Government, under President Roosevelt, had inflated the currency immeasurably, but despite public expenditure on a scale never before seen in the history of tne world, the United States could not escape repercussions of the slump.

The Government and the Minister of Labour had his keen sympathy in respect of these troubles, especially when in answer to a threat of deregistration of disobedient unionism, tile Federation of Labour had intimated its member unions to deregister voluntarily when strong enough to gain their ends without reference to the Arbitration Court. The plan was to work by direct action as soon as the unions were strong enough. That was the strongest contempt that the federation could throw upon the Arbitration Court. These things had been tried in England, on the occasion of the general strike there. Almost a state of civil war had developed there until tlie saner of the Labour leaders said that it must end; that the people of England would no longer stand it. i say that the people of New Zealand will not stand it!” Mr. Toogood declared amidst, applause. ' The Government got into power on the backs of the leaders of the Federation of Labour," he added. “They

The earlier experience of minor slumps had prepared Great Britain in some measure for tile great slump of 3PRO-35. Thai experience wotild have seen Britain through the slump admirably. but for the fact that she had lieen helping the “lame dogs” among European Slates for some years previously. The succession of blows that, came, one after the other, on the Old Country, drove her to her knees. "When you hear criticism of the New Zealand Government between

1930-35, consider whether it is made with knowledge of what the slump did to other and stronger financial countries. If criticism is not made with that, knowledge, it is unfair and unmoral," declared Mr. Toogood. amidst applause from a large section of the audience. It was completed unfair to use the results ol an aecident which affected the whole world. to besmirch those who had brought New Zealand through the slump to better times. It meant that a page was being torn from the history of

r \ve a great deal to the assistance of '.he feneration: but there is an old Chinese proverb that‘he who rides on a tiger cannot dismount.’" Ilie speaker added a strong vecomofr% ,0 "“V ‘? r thc G,sborno seat ' ‘ A h ' ea ;. tv vok , of thanks lo M r. Toogood , and of confidence in the National Party, was carried unaniCloudy by acclamation, on the motion 0 f Mr. K. A. Woodward. The meeting closed with cheers for the Hon. Adam Hamilton, given at the instance of Mr. Toogood.