LABOUR IN OFFICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 58, 10 March 1938, Page 8

LABOUR IN OFFICE

MR. J. A. LEE AT MARTON REVIEW OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE Speaking at Marton on Tuesday night, Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-secretary for Housing, vigorously defended the Labour Government now in its third year of office. After referring to Labour’s policy of increased wages and encouragement of purchasing power, the speaker criticised the opponents of Labour. The speaker said that his audience would like to know, the whole of New Zealand would like to know, what the policy of the National Party was. Apparently, the National Party thought that denunciation of Labour was all it need do to win the confidence of the electors. ‘‘Mr. Hamilton, at Palmerston North, said these words: ‘The National Party is true to name and does not belong to any one section of the community,’ ” said Mr. Lee. “Then he added, as an afterthought, a postscript, a footnote: ‘We stand even for the working people.’ What is the policy of the National Party? You would like to know, we would all like to know. They stand, ‘even for the working people.’ I would like to spend quite a lot of time on our opponents,” Mr. Lee added, “but I haven’t got that time to waste.”

Mr. Lee referred to reductions of men on Public Works under the past Government, reductions when the country was crying out for roads, backblock roads, schools and housing. Under the Labour Government, by December 1937, the men empoyeld on Public Works had gone up to 20,100, an increase of 6400. There were 3700 engaged in building houses and probably another 3700 engaged in activities brought about by the building, brick-making, cement-making and sc on. Those men were adding something to the value of the New Zealand. And Labour saw to it that men engaged on Public Works got a bit more in pay. He would admit that New Zealand had not yet reached the ideal state, but it was on the way there. The. poilcy of the past had failed to find a remedy for depression. A Voice: Why didn’t you tell them then how to do it? Mr. Lee: When we tried to tell them, and I nearly wore myseif out trying to do that, every time we heard the still small voice of Mr. George Forbes saying: “Where will you get the money from? A Voice: Where did you get it from? A Woman’s Voice; Put more taxation on to get a bit more. Mr. Lee replied that the money had been got by pledging the credit of the State instead of going to the private bondholder. Labour had reduced New Zealand’s indebtedness in London. (Applause). He contended that taxation had fallen on those well able to pay it. He contrasted houses erected at Miramar by the Labour Government and those erected on the opposite side of the road by the Reform Government. Labour had built a much better house; and with rates, taxes, sinking fund and ail thrown in, it ran out at 17s 6d less than the houses on the other side of the street erected by Reform. A Voice; Never on your life. It can’t be done. Mr. Lee: I dont say that Reform should not have erected those houses, but I congratulate the Labour Government on putting into operation the best housing scheme there has ever been in New Zealand. (Applause). Everybody knows that the only trouble there is about those houses is that .... A Voice; We can’t get enough of them. Mr. Lee: Exactly; we can’t get enough of them. The speaker .continuing, to obtain more forceful expression, addressed himself to the chairman (Mr. F. Purnell, Mayor of Marton). A Woman’s Voice; Don't talk to Mr. Purnell. He isn’t a Labourite. (Laughter). Mr. Lee: It doesn’t matter. I dont know what the Mayor’s politics are, and it really does not matter. A Voice: He voted Labour at the last election.

A Woman’s Voice; Never on your life. He’s a farmer. Mr. Lee: I believe that such an intelligent Mayor cannot do otherwise than vote Labour. (Laughter and applause). “We intend to go on building up, up, up,” said Mr. Lee. The speaker said that under the Labour Government men had got back into employment, boys and girls had got to school earlier and —— registration of apprentices had gone up. Post Office Savings Bank deposits were increasing. Mr. Wilson Speaks “My experience during the past two years, my observations both in and out of Parliament, convinces me more than ever before that the Labour Governments policy is the right policy in good times and bad,” said Mr. Ormond Wilson, M.P. for Rangitikei, concluding a brief speech in endorsement of what Mr. Lee had said. Question Time Asked whether an increase in the price of timber, made recently on the ground of increased costs, higher wages, etc., was justified, Mr. Lee replied that the responsible Minister had made very full enquiries and had reported that such increase was warranted. A questioner asked Mr. Lee what Labour’s policy in a depression would be. Mr. Lee replied that Labour would see that everybody had sufficient to live on, that every machine it was possible to keep going would be kept going and everything done to keep consumption within New Zealand at a maximum. The questioner: But I would like to know how you would do it? Mr. Lee: I have already told you. We will pay a guaranteed price to the farmer and generally maintain consumption by seeing that the people have the necessary purchasing power. To go into every little detail of a policy of that sort would take me longer than I can afford to-night. A vote of thanks to the speakers and renewed confidence in the Lab-

our Party was carried by acclamation. Mr. Lee said that Labour was a wonderfully democratic party. On the one hand it accepted Mr. Wilson from his farm and the University and it accepted him (the speaker) from the gutter, and the two were working side by side for the good of New Zealand, (Applause.)