ANGRY TORIES.

Shannon News, 3 November 1925, Page 2

ANGRY TORIES.

(Published by Arrangement.)

THEIR WAGE-CUTTING SCHEMES EXPOSED. WILD AND WHIRLING LANGUAGE WON'T ALTER FACTS. The New Zealand Worker last week unearthed a Tory plot to reduce wages the exposure of wnicli has thrown the lories into a iury <jt rage and auger. Caught in the perpetration ,of their shabby scheme, tney are now clawing the atmosphere with ferocious shouts and noisy protestations. The violence of their language betrays the fear they ieel at tne revelation of their plans. "Damnable lie!" shrieks the Hon. A. D. McLeod, "Gross and Malicious Libel!" bawls Mr James, the Reform Party organiser, while Mr Coates, the playboy of New Zealand politics, babbles simplicities that show how little he knows about

"Where did they get it from?" feebly asks the Prime Minister. "We have never contemplated or even suggested such a thing. There is not a word of truth in the statement." But all this roaring, ranting, and repudiation will not alter the facts. 'The report of the Department of Labour says:—"One possible solution of the question in New Zealand would be achieved, by providing that, without increasing the total wages nowpaid by any employer or in industry generally, the amounts ordinarily due to the workers would be adjusted, through a central fund, according to the number of dependants (if any) on each worker. It is ascertained that there is approximately one child under fourteen years of age to'every adult male worker; if, therefore, the sum that it is desired to allow for eacli child—say, 7s 6d per week—was deducted from each worker's wages or salary, the amounts so deducted would in the aggregate provide approxi.lnately that sum lor each child, l&ss an allowance for administration expenses; in actual practice, EACH EMPLOYER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DEDUCT THE SUM DECIDED UPON FROM THE WAGES, OF EACH OF HIS EMPLOYEES and to pay that amount to the central fund in the locality." The meaning of this is umnlstakeable, and it is undeniable that this is the proposal the Reform Party had in mind when it prepared its election manifesto and handed it to Mr Coates to sign. The Minister of Labour, speaking in Parliament (see Hansard No. p.), page 2.14), said:—

I "I hope the electors will show such [ confidence in (he scheme to be subI milted to die country shortly. Next . year L may be able to obtain power jt o bring in" a satisfactory CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME Avhieh will | cover all these cases and also cases / of invalidity." j Mr Hawken (Tory) speaking in Hie same debate, plainly states the WAGES OF SINGLE WORKERS WERE, TOO' HIGH, and that these workers ■should be taxed.