LABOUR CAMPAIGN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21154, 29 September 1938, Page 14

LABOUR CAMPAIGN

MR CARR AT WAIMATAITAI There was an attendance of 85 electors at the Waimataitai School last night, when the Rev. Clyde Carr, Labour candidate for the Timaru seat, continued his campaign. While there were a few interjections, the speaker was accorded an attentive hearing. The chair was occupied by Mr G. Benstead. Mr Carr, in the early part of his address, attacked a National Party poster styled “A Woman Can’t Make Ends Meet with this So-Called Labour Government in Power.” He said that such talk was a joke, but a pretty ghastly joke. “You talk about effrontery. I think that is the limit of effrontery,” he said. “I can’t imagine anyone being guilty of such utter, unpardonable hypocrisy. But we will treat it as a joke." His address was similar to those delivered in other parts of the electorate, and he added a few facts dealing with the improvements effected by the Government in regard to education. Asked why the Government did not give financial assistance to denomin-. atlonal schools, Mr Carr said that they were not altogether out of court, for they enjoyed a number of the services provided for State schools. The financial aspect of the matter was a vexed one, and one that was apt to raise sectarian issues. He was in favour of assisting denominational schools financially and directly. Mr J. C. Kay asked why, if the total unemployed in New Zealand in February of this year was 3000, of whom a majority were unemployable, the Government had collected £5,000,000 from the unemployment tax. Mr Carr: Because we have not followed the example of our predecessors and compelled Class C people to go to Charitable Aid Boards and relief depots with sugar bags. They have been paid sustenance. Mr Kay: You have not answered my question. A voice: They kept the public works schemes going. Mr Carr: Don't judge us by the other people. We did not reduce the standard of the public works camps or pay slave rates. A voice: What did you do with them? Mr Carr: We did not use unemployment funds to subsidise wealthy freezing companies. The reduction in the unemployed was rapid, but while the figures were high the expenditure was high. Mr K. Brown asked why the Timaru Borough Council employed 202 unemployed in the borough in the depth of the depression, and to-day the Council was employing 238. Mr Carr: All I can say is that the Council is doing its share better now than it was before. The men to-day could not be classed as unemployed when they were receiving standard rates. Sales Tax Mr J. S. Satterthwaite commenced to read an extract from Hansard dealing with the candidate’s speech in the House, when a member of the Opposition, opposing the imposition of the sales tax and asked how many times the candidate had opposed the tax since Labour had been in office. The candidate replied that he had not protested since Labour had been in office because he knew that once it was possible to do so, the tax would be removed. He and his colleagues were just as much opposed to it now as ever, but he considered it better to make it possible for people to pay the tax and utilise the money, however inequitable the form of taxation, in providing better amenities for the people. Mr Satterthwaite: Mr Carr said at Cullmanntown that there was the utmost co-operation between Friendly Societies and the Government. The chairman: Don’t make a speech. Mr Carr: You would not be allowed to do that in the House my friend. The chairman: Ask your question and don’t make a speech. Mr Satterthwaite: Has the Government the co-operation of all the Friendly Societies in New Zealand? Mr Carr: The Friendly Societies were represented by delegates in conference with the Government on the scheme, and they approved the scheme, and pledged co-operation. Public Works Asked by Mr H. Kent if he thought it was necessary to keep on borrowing £40,000,000 for public works, Mr Carr said that the money was borrowed from Government Departments. He explained that there were several departments which had trust funds, and this money was expended on productive work. Mr Kent: Can thxt policy be carried on indefinitely? Mr Carr: People forget that what we pay out comes back with Interest. When asked by Mr Satterthwaite why the Government was not going to provide the funds to meet the loan expenditure on the harbour improvement scheme, when the scheme had been approved by the Loans Board, Mr Carr detailed the steps leading up to the loan poll which had been carried. He explained that debentures had been issued at 34 per cent., but they had not produced the required amount. The Board’s equalisation scheme did not provide for a sinking fund or interest for the first 15 years of the loan, and the Treasury, acting on orthodox loans, required Interest and sinking fund provision year by year. The tug-of-war seemed to be between the Board’s equalisation scheme and the Treasury’s orthodox methods, but he was hopeful of something being done in the near future. Mr R. Dossor: Why do we have to pay income tax on wage tax? Mr Carr: That is a matter which I think should be adjusted. I hope that as time goes on that one of the things that will die an eternal death is double taxation. The candidate was questioned regarding his statement that taxation had not been increased, Mr Dossor asking if it was not a fact that companies paid 10/- in the pound and were also required to pay 1/- in the whole pound. Mr Carr: Companies don't pay it They pass it on to the consumers. Mr Dossor: Therefore the consumers pay it? Mr Carr: Yes. Mr Dossor: Therefore taxation has been increased Mr Carr: Come along with the A plus B theorem and we will go into that. On the motion of Mr J. Martin, seconded by Mr S. Lang, the speaker was accorded a vote of thanks. A vote of thanks was also passed to the chairman for presiding.