LABOUR VIEWPOINT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12082, 10 August 1917, Page 4

LABOUR VIEWPOINT.

MR VEITOH ON THE BUDGET. LACK OF ACTIVE SYMPATHY. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 9. Mr Veitch, who resumed the Budget debate to-night, discussed the proposals from a, Labour point of view. He expressed the opinion that the wageearners were not satisfied with general conditions at the present time, and felt that over since the declaration of war they had failed to secure from Parliament the measures they had asked for to safeguard their living conditions.

"I believe," said Mr Veitch, "that tlie Government has not extended that sympathy to Labour which it, should have extended. lam of opinion that the of Labour has not shorn that sympathy with Labour which it was his duty to show, and he is not regarded as a, friend by the organised Labour of the Dominion. While 1 acknowledge that, it is the duty of the Government to see that law and order are. maintained. I hope- the Government will recognise its very great responsibilities and act, in a tactful and careful way at the present time, and if possible prevent difficulty arising." The member went on to express the opinion that it was a mistake to assume that the country was prosperous because a section of the community was prosperous. He claimed that wageearners, particularly city men, were badly off at the present time, worse off than they had been for many yean past. Ho believed enough had not been done to prevent profiteering at tiie expense of the people, especially regarding the distribution of the people's food. Statesmanlike organisation was required to co-ordinate the various activities necessary for obtaining for producers more satisfactory returns from their exports, and for the consumers of the Dominion cheaper food essentials. Surely if wc could spend twenty-four millions to combat German aggression we could afford to spend a little more for fighting tin; enemy within our gates, who wert thriving on profiteering. Mr Veitch expressed the belief that a. great deal could be done in rcducincr the cost of living problem by correlating the work of the Arbitration Court and Board of Trade. A 10 per cent war bonus to the wage-earner was of very little use if the cost of living increased by 25 per cent. There must be something in the nature of a fai* adjustment.