LABOUR PLATFORM

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1935, Page 3

LABOUR PLATFORM

ADDRESS TO MEETING OF WOMEN. MR. FROST AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Before an attentive audience of about s 40 women at New Plymouth last evenI ing the Rev. F. L. FroSt, Labour candidate for the New Plymouth seat, briefly outlined his platform. The address was arranged by the Y.W.C.A. Business and Professional Women’s Round Table Club and was the first of a series to be contributed by the five candidates for the seat. Mrs. M. A. Arthur presided at the ‘ meeting, which was preceded by an in- ‘ formal tea. Mr. Frost did not bring forward any statistics. Money, he said, was the last consideration for his party so long as people had food, shelter and clothing. ! In the depression many had come in contact with appalling suffering among women and children in New Zealand. If the Labour Party could rehabilitate the ’ people then it was not very much interested in the millions of pounds that re- . habilitation cost. The problem was to ' make money fulfil its rightful function. It was not that the party intended to be reckless or spendthrift. If there were a war women would find ample money was provided for the destruction of husbands, sons, fathers and sweethearts. The Labour Party planned to make the coun- ( try a place in which people could live and which' they could enjoy. It wanted to raise the man pioneering in paths of peace above him whose lot was cast amid the mud, destruction and .devastation and horror of war. The party was moved by a passion for humanity, a desire to make things subservient to man. A Conservative party was concerned with the business aspect of politics and neglected the humane aspect. But the Labour Party had seen the utter misery of the people of New II Zealand and was out to ask the Governa ment about the degradation it had forced upon them. Mr. Frost asserted that the Government was like a Mother Hubbard who told her dog she could give him nothing because the cupboard was too full. The Labour Party said if there were any • food in the Dominion the people should have it, Budget or no Budget. Its policy f was definitely one of social reform by i control of the monetary system. j Mr. Frost dealt with certain accusations q made against the ability of his party. Referring 'to education he said it favoured e development along practical lines. Lab--11 our education aimed at bringing out 5 what there was in the nature of different children instead of stuffing them full of □ trigonometry, French and Latin that j would never be wanted again. Those >. subjects were well enough in their place 5 but their place was not in everybody’s head. Miss M. Ritchie proposed a vote of ' thanks to Mr. Frost* and it was carv ried - * A =