ELECTION ECHOES

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 October 1946, Page 2

ELECTION ECHOES

WHAT CANDIDATES ARE SAYING

"I am in favour of a retiring age of 60 years,” said Mr. G. Nimmo (Labour, New Plymouth), at a recent meeting. Before he could continue his statement a member of the audience asked: "For members of Parliament?" an interjection that was greeted with laughter.

"The National Party stands for freedom,” said Mr. J. R. Beatty, National candidate for Oamaru, "and thousands of New Zealanders are looking to it to restore to this Dominion the freedom which over the past 10 years has been taken away by power politicians who would fashion this country on the lines ol Soviet Russia. The -National Party on November 27, I firmly believe, will deliver New Zealand from the menace of ultimate Socialism.”

The first demand of tlie Communist Party was for an immediate wagerise; wages had seemed good in wartime because many persons had worked 50 and 60 hours a week. But now' there was a return to the 40-hour week wages did not keep pace with ris.ng costs, said Mr. Alex Ostler, Communist candidate for Christchurch Central, speaking in Christchurch. Judges had recently been granted a wage rise of £5 a week, but the union to which he belonged had been awarded 3s a week. Included in his party’s demand was the raising of the basic wage to £6 a week. Second demand of the Communist Party was equal pay lor women doing the same work as men. The party was the only one maxing that demand, and it was made because when one section of workers made more than another injustices must be found.

“I heard a conversation in my hotel in Chr.stchurch; I was in my room and I did not want to hear but could not help hearing," said the Minister of Works (Mr. Semple) in an address at. Hornby when he contended that the lifting of controls would mean unfettered capitalism. One man had said: "They are doing the right thing in America. They should do the same thing here. These young men are going back to America in their thousands with pockets full of money. They will be cheeky, arrogant, and Independent. That lifting of price control will teach them. In three months their money will be gone and we will have them where we want them." That was unfettered capitalism of the type which put babes and women into the mines in England less than 100 years ago, said Mr Semple