“ON THE FENCE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 963, 5 May 1930, Page 11

“ON THE FENCE”

LABOUR ACTIONS CRITICISED BY MR. DOWNIE STEWART PROTECTING INDUSTRIES A strong criticism of the actions of the Labour Party in the House was voiced by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Reform member for Dunedin West, and ex-Minister of Finance, on Saturday evening, when he maintained that Mr. H. E. Holland and his associates did not “stick to their colours.” Mr. Stewart, who was giving his second speech in the Parnell by-elec-tion campaign, was accorded an enthusiastic hearing at St. Aidan’s ITall, loud-speakers broadcasting his speech to the large crowd who could not obtain seats. Mr. J. F. W. Dickson presided and on the platform were Mr. W. P. Endean, the Reform candidate, Mr. J. S. Dickson, Air. 11. R. Jenkins, Miss Downie Stewart, the ex-Minister’s sister, Mr. R. A. Wright, Reform member for Wellington Suburbs, and Air. J. B. Paterson, chairman of the Parnell branch of the Reform League. Air. Stewart devoted most of his speech to replying to Air. id. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, Who stated at Newmarket on Friday that it was the intention of the Labour Party to “stimulate secondary industries in order to buttress the primary industries.” Air. Stewart said that when, as AXinister of Customs, he once moved in the House for the protection of the New Zealand boot and shoe industry, he received no support from Air. Holland. Tho difficulty of the Labour Party was that if they voted for the duties the price of boots would go up and the people would grumble; if they voted against them, the boot operatives’ union would grumble. Air. Ploli land finally said that the problem could not bo dealt with that way and that tho industry should be nationalised. (Laughter.) “If there was any possibility of dodging the issue the Labour Party grasped it,” said Mr. Stewart. “They never took a firm stand. The public is entitled to ask them to put their views on such questions in black and white.” COMPETITION FROM JAVA The Labour Party had done the same thing about the duty on sugar when tho Government hac\ decided that protection should be granted in the interests of both consumers and manufacturers. Tlio Labour members on the Industries and Commerce Committee saw that to grant protection to a powerful company would not be popular with Labour electors, but, on the other hand, it was doubtful if the workers could keep their jobs against the competition of Java sugar unless protection were given. Therefore, Labourites were chary of expressing an opinion and finally said it was a difficult problem and one for the Government to solve. (Laughter.) “But by this time they were being bombarded by the Sugar Workers’ Union, which was sending men down every day demanding protection. We got the company’s consent to a farthing a pound and, as you know, sugar as cheap or cheaper than anywhere else in the world has been enjoyed by New Zealand ever since.” Mr. Stewart went on to criticise State ownership and management of industry, which, he said, had been tried elsewhere and proved to be unsuccessful, the price and quality of Statemade articles being unsatisfactory compared with the one made privately. In addition, there was just as much trouble with strikes. “We have had enough of Labour administration in Australia to satisfy us that it would bo no good here,” said Air. Stewart. “The Labour Governments there are the most extravagant Governments you could wish for. Electors should compare the sound position of New Zealand finance witli tho position-Australia found itself in under Labour Governments and \vith what the United Party would do if allowed to borrow all it wanted to borrow. Reform stood for the least amount of borrowing consistent with efficient administration and that was the safe policy. Asserting that no industry deserved protection unless its house was in order, the speaker said he favoured greater specialisation in industry. “It would amount to what is called nationalisation of industry in England and Germany,” he said. It was the only way to meet competition from another country which was organised on a mass production basis. In the case of footwear, it meant one factory concentrating on a few pairs of men’s shoes and another specialising in a few pairs of women’s shoes. Jf any industry was sound and giving good service, then it was permissible to protect it by imposing duties on foreign-made articles. Otherwise a badly-run industry would be bolstered up. SUCCESSFUL FARMING GOOD WORK AT RUAKURA From Our Own Correspondent HAMILTON, Saturday. The Ruakura State Farm of Instruction has had a very successful year and the increased production has been more than sufficient to offset the drop in Values. In the course of a review of the year’s operations Mr. H. Alunro, manager of the farm, said: The dairy herd had done exceptionally well. There had been ample feed for stock throughout the season, and the condition of the animals could not be better. Eighteen of the pedigree cows had been put under semi-official test, and these animals had averaged 5401 b of butter-fat a cow. Alilking Shorthorns purchased at Ruakura had done particularly well in the show rings. The successes included Royal champion and reserve champion, and four first prizes and one second prize at the Royal Agricultural Show, Invercargill; special prize for the best type of Shorthorn bull of any age at Wanganui; first and champion at Hawke’s Bay; first and chamand first and reserve champion at Whangarei: first and junior champion at Dannevirke.

During the season 1,672. Sontlidown-Romney-cross lambs had been exported, and had averaged 361 bin weight. The first consignment of 510 lambs topped the market at 30s net on the farm, and the quality was so high that a parcel was exhibited at Smithfield for the purpose of advertising Auckland lambs.

There had been a keen demand for pedigree Berkshire pigs bred on the farm, and all the surplus stock this season had found a ready sale. Pastoral operations during the season included the conservation of 300 tons of hay and 300 tons of ensilage. Other crops included 30 acres of oats, eight acres of different varieties of mangels, five acres of swedes, five acres or potatoes, and one acre of field pumpkins.

Dealing with the cadets who had undergone instruction on the farm, Air. Munro said 49 youths had been at workon the farm and the big list of applicants awaiting admission had not yet been accommodated. In many cases members of a family had succeeded their brothers as students at the school. The youths were given a thorough grounding in agriculture and spent their time in the fields and in the lecture room. During the last five years the capacity of the farm had been greatly increased. and out of the total acreage of 900 acres, 800 acres were in pasture. During the winter the farm would carry 350 cattle, 2,000 sheep, 30 horses and 150 pigs.