LABOUR IN POWER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20931, 10 January 1938, Page 4

LABOUR IN POWER

“LIBERTY AT STAKE” ADDRESS BY MR COATES By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, January 8 “I don’t think anyone has had his leg so well and truly pulled as has the Minister of Finance (the Hon. Walter J. Nash),” said the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates, speaking at a complimentary luncheon tendered him by resident of Mamaranui and Maropiu on the purchase by the Government of Messrs Picot Brothers’ business. They saw him coming. “Not only did they receve £15,000 as goodwill and £6OOO for book debts.” added Mr Coates, "but Mr F. R. Picot receives £2OOO a year to fix the prices of butter, ham, eggs, etc. He handies about 20 per cent, of the produce, while Mr G. A. Duncan, who handles the rest gets £l5OO. “Some one has said regarding the Labour Government, ‘Let them stay in power until they hang themselves. The trouble is iJr.i they will hang a lot of good private citizens in doing so,” said Mr Coates. “It is no good; the public will have to be told that their very liberty is at stake.” State Interference Dealing with interference in business, Mr Coates instanced the fishing industry, where, he said, in one instance six fishermen at Helensville were keeping out another five practical men, who owned their own gear. These men, now that prices were better, wished to get back into the industry, but were barred by the vote of the six already in. It was perhaps natural to keep others out, but he had told the Minister that they would have to receive a license. He did not leave the Minister until those five fishermen received their licenses. It was the same witii the transport industry and the petrol trade. The farmers had been “sold a pup” when thej 7 accepted the guaranteed price without a word of protest, continued Mr Coates. Their produce had been commandeered. Some farmers said they were satisfied. He just wondered, were they? He was quite sure that so far as their finance was concerned farmers could get along better with bankers than with State Departments. He had instances of it all over the electorate. Local Industries With reference to the position of local industries, Mr Coates said that the farmers would not agree to increasing tariffs to keep up with higher internal costs, which were responsible for factories having to reduce staffs. "Many men will find themselves out of work in the new year,” Mr Coates said. "The only way in which they can be kept in employment is for the Government to take over these industries as State concerns, but are workers going to work as hard if employed by the State God knows there are enough married women employed in cowsheds to-day, and if industry is socialised would they work as hard as they do now?” He did not think so.