The Waikato Independent THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1931. LABOUR DECLARES WAR.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 1451, 12 March 1931, Page 4

The Waikato Independent THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1931. LABOUR DECLARES WAR.

It was scarcely to Re expected that Labour would neglect such an excellent opportunity as that given by the Government ’s proposed wages cut, for opening fire on the Government with all the guns it could bring to bear. When Parliament opened at Wellington yesterday, so eager was Mr Holland to move an amendment to the Address-in-R-sply to'the effect that the Government did not possess the confidence of the House or of the country, that he started to do. so twice before the correct moment had arrived, and had to be checked by the .Speaker. The unofficial alliance which previously existed between Mr Holland’s forces and those of Mr Forbes is at an end. Reports from Wellington to-morrow should give some indication of what Mr Coates intends to do: whether he will place the interests of country before those of party and assist Mr Forbes to put through the legislation so necessary to meet the present economic conditions a n d to rehabilitate the , devastated Hawke’s Bay area, or whether he will stand by and see the United Government defeated. There surely , was never, a time

when the leader of a party holding the balance of power could use that power to better effect than at present. It is no time for party differences. The Dominion needs a vigorous policy to pull it out of the present slough of depression and a policy, which at any rate is worthy of trial, has already been out-

lined by the Prime Minister. In an address at the Wellington Town Hall last night Mr Holland made it plain that Labour would fight the wages reductions to the Jast ditch. He mentioned particularly the hardship imposed on the Public Service. No one will deny that a certain amount of hardship will be imposed on all who arc affected by the wages cut, but with an election looming on the political horizon it is only natural that Mr Holland should stress the point of view of a section which holds a voting power which the astute Labour leader is not slow in trying to turn to his own advantage. He mentioned that Mr Ransom told the House less than a year ago that it was not tho policy of the United Government to cut salaries or to discharge employees. He quite overlooks the fact, purposely or otherwise, that less than a •ear ago the necessity for such a step did not exist. The : Government’s idea in proposing such a step is obviously with tho idea of saving as many present employees as possible from being discharged, only Labour seems too 1 short-sighted to . see or admit it. Mr Holland also ventured to say that there was not a working farmer in his constituency Who wanted to see reduced ' wages. How many Waikato farmers I will agree with that?