LABOUR LEADER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20280, 14 April 1934, Page 30 (Supplement)

LABOUR LEADER.

Urges Restoration of Wage Cut. SPEECH AT WESTPORT. Per i’r«s. A ssnolatlon. WESTPORT, April 13. Air M. T. Savage. leader of the Op position, who arrived from Grey mouth this afternoon, was met some distance from town by the Mayor and Council lors and supporters of the Labour Party, to the number of over fifty and given a royal reception. To-night Mr Savage accorded a civic reception in the town hall and later delivered a political address. The Municipal Band played outside the hall Dealing with the restoration of wag and salarv cuts, Mr Savage said, “Tt is agreed that the inoneiar> income of the rank and file of the people of the country is the foundation upon which the trade of that country rests. When that is so it is hard to understand in the first place v tiy wage and salary reductions were ever madr while production continued to increase The first substantial reductions that have been made in modern times were made in 1922 when purchasing power to the extent of millions in money was destroyed by Act of Parliament. That action was repeated again in 1932, and while people in high places arc talking about new and expanding markets for our products, they are at the same time destroying the existing market by destroying the purchasing power of the people. “The time is long overdue for the restoration of those wage and salary cuts and when the Government gives a lead in that direction, it will at least have made a start towards the re-establish-ment of trade and industry in the Dominion. 1 here can be no permanent recovery in trade, national or international, until the buying power of those who constitute the market has been restored. The Government led the way in reducing wages, and it is not too much to ask that, after having satisfied everyone that reduced pay means reduced trade, it should now give the lead in the direction of a general restoration of those W’age and salary cuts. Certain local bodies and private employers have at least made a beginning, and, according to every rule of fair play, they should be encouraged in their commendable action by the Government giving a lead to all employers to do likewise. Wages and conditions of labour which have been built up over the last forty years have been destroyed during recent years bv Acts of Parliament, and until an organised attempt is made to restore those conditions there will be no end to the depression.” At the conclusion of his address, Mr Savage was accorded a great reception. A motion of thanks and confidence ir the Labour Party and in Mr Savage as leader was carried unanimously.