LABOUR'S OPINION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 152, 30 June 1932, Page 8

LABOUR'S OPINION

NEW ZEALAND’S PROBLEMS ADDRESS BY MR HOLLAND (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Juno 29. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr H. IS. Holland, delivered a public address before an audience that almost filled the Town Hall to-night. Mr Holland, referring to the Ottawa Conference, •complained that the Labour Party had not been given representation on the New Zealand delegation, with the result that a quarter of a million people who had voted for Labour members, were not represented. He contended that we should seek a definite agreement with Britain under which she would lake a stated quantity of our products and we would take a stated quantity of her goods. Following that, we should make a similar arrangement with other British Dominions and then seek to arrive at an agreement with any country willing to trade with us on a basis of reciprocity.

The speaker referred to the petition which the Labour Party is now circulating. calling on Ihe Government to resign, and devoted the greater part of his address to dealing with the measures enacted during the recent, session of Parliament, cla'mlng that as the Government had put through legislation that had not been mentioned during the election campaign it should now give the electors the right to say whether those far-reaching changes should be allowed to go into effect. Among the measures were the fiat-rate wages tax without an accompanying in-

come tax steeply graded tn catch the higher incomes, the action of Parliament in extending its own life, which he hold was undemocratic and unconstitutional. and the reduction of pensions. particularly old ago and minor and widows’ pensions. As other reasons for recalling the present Government, he instanced the, mismanagement of the unemployment problem and the amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which he said had been put through at the behest of the Manufacturers’ Association, and placed in the hands of the employers the power to prevent any ease going from the Conciliation Council to Hie Arbitration Court. Standard Wages.

After further criticising the record of the Government, Mr Holland said that the Labour Party stood for economic reconstruction and the re-habili-tation in industry of men and women at. standard wages, which would restore their purchasing power and would mean financial equilibrium in New Zealand.

The speaker touched briefly on the rate of exchange, and contended that there should be no forcing up of the rate. »

A resolution was carried, which thanked Mr Holland for his address, and after expressing indignation at the Government’s policy and administra tion, expressed the opinion that the Government’s failure to deal with the? vital problems of the Dominion provided a substantial reason for its resignation with a view to submitting its policy to the electors.