LABOUR POLICY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 219, 12 April 1933, Page 7

LABOUR POLICY

Address by Mr. Holland

MEETING AT OHAKUNE

Press Association —Copyright

Ohakune, April 11.—Speaking to a crowded house at Ohakune tonight Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of tile Opposition, devoted a large part of his speech to the, unemployment problem in New Zealand, claiming that including women, girls and boys under 20 years cl age there were 120,000 unemployed in the country. This number, ne predicted, would be increased to 150,000 before the winter was over.

Mr. Holland declared it was unfortunate that Parliament had adjourned without making provision for additional finance to meet this inevitable increase in the numbers of unemployed which would follow the close of the seasonal occupations. The Labour Party's proposals to cope with ,th - problem included a comprehensive public works scheme and primary and secondary industrial development with guaranteed prices for the primary producers and standard wageo

,or the workers. He also advocated shorter working hours to meet the unemployment caused by new inventions and the continued introduction and improvement of labour-displacing machinery.

( Mr. Holland dealt exhaustively with I the questions of currency and credit, dei daring that if necessary the Labour Party ' in office would provide for an additional issue of legal tender currency. lie did not think, however, that any very great amount of this would be required, since if the unemployed were absorbed into industry and placed on works of economic value the restored velocity of circulation of the existing legal tender and cheque currency that would result would represent a substantial increase of the money used in the exchange transactions of the Dominion. Whatever new money was issued would be regulated strictly I in line with the increased production of | goods and services, and care would be | taken that it should go into immediate j expenditure and not into the vaults of I the banks or the pockets of the bondi holders and money speculators.