MR ARCHER REPLIES TO MR CUMMING.

Southland Times, Issue 18077, 2 May 1919, Page 6

MR ARCHER REPLIES TO MR CUMMING.

To the Editor. Sir;- —The remarks of mine which Mr Gumming quotes did not refer to the State Fire Insurance Office. They referred to the State Life Insurance Department. Moreover, they only referred to one aspect of the operations of that department. My point was that essentially it is not a State Department at all. Obviously it is not. It has the distinction of a State name. The State guarantees its policyholders against financial loss. The postal officials of the State help to do its business. But it yields to the State no profits . All its profits go into private hands. In that sense it is as much a private company as any other insurance company of the dominion. This does not mean that its existence is unjusti liable, or that it confers no benefit on the community. The contrary is the case, and because I believe so I have given it a push whenever possible, I have done the same in regard to the State Fire Office. Both institutions stand for a right idea; but both have so far failed to carry the idea into practice as to be a laughing. stock to the advocates of real State insurance. Both merely show us what could be done under right conditions of Government. Mr Gumming does not hurt me by his cheap sneer at my friendship with Mr Semple. I am glad to have “Bob,” as we familiarly call him, on my list of friends. Not that he and I hold the same ideas on all subjects, or express our ideas in the same way! One of the glories of the Labour movement is that it brings together men of many types, and gives liberty of thought and speech to all of them. As to Bolshevism, that red rag of prejudice and panic is being too much waved in the eyes of unthinking people. What Mr Semple said about it has been woefully misunderstood, or wilfully misrepresented. I know, because I beard him speak. The editor of the Christchurch Sun misunderstood; but now understands. Mr Semple returned to Christchurch, where the notorious speech was made, and replied to his critics. The next day, when discussing whether or not Mr Semple espouses Bolshevism, the editor of the Sun wrote these words: “We think it can be said now that he doesn’t.” That is frank, and it is high time for everybody to cease flinging false and foolish charges at Mr Semple in particular, and the Labour movement in general. Mr Gumming appears to doubt my honesty. I do not doubt his. If, however, he is as “quick in the uptake” as he is honest, he will soon see that all he says in favour of the State Fire Office supports my contention that every kind of insurance ought to be a State monopoly.—l am, etc., J. K. ARCHER, Sydenham, April 29.