MINISTER REPLIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20259, 7 November 1935, Page 8

MINISTER REPLIES

HON. J. BITCHENER AND DEMOCRATS

LEADER ASSAILED Strong exception to the criticism which had been levelled at the Government in general, and the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and himself in particular by Mr T. C. A. Hislop, leader of the Democrat Party, was made by the Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, in an address which he delivered to about 120 electors in the Aorangi Hall, Fairlie, last night. Mr Bitchener deprecated Mr Hislop’s action in travelling up and down the country abusing the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the speaker for the administration of the finances of the Dominion, and at the same time offering nothing of a constructive nature. Mr Bitchener took strong exception to the Democrat leader’s indictment of the administration of the Stores Control Board, of which he was chairman. The other four members of the Board, and he would not say anything about himself, were all gentlemen and he could assure the electors that anything that the Board had done would stand any daylight which Mr Hislop could bring to bear. •

Mr Hislop had made much of the cost of the numerous boards set up by the Government, but the Stores Control Board was one instance in which the members received not a single penny for their services. Other boards, such as the Meat Producers’ Board and the Dairy Board, were set up to protect those particular industries and the cost was borne by those engaged in those industries. If a man were not a meat producer, the Meat Producers’ Board did not cost him anything. Much had been said about Government interference in business, but those were cases in which the industries were being left to conduct their own affairs. Mr Bitchener also make reference to the problem of unemployment. He said that the Leader of the Democrat Party claimed to be able to cure the problem, but he had thousands of unemployed in Wellington, where he was Mayor, but he had not put forward any solution. He had, however, come along to see what the Government was doing. If he could solve the problem, he would be in demand the world over.