NATIONAL PARTY POLICY CONTRADICTION Of ITS BELIEFS. SAYS MINISTER

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 November 1949, Page 6

NATIONAL PARTY POLICY CONTRADICTION Of ITS BELIEFS. SAYS MINISTER

The opinion that the National Party was deceiving the people of New Zealand in the present election campaign was expressed by th e Hon. F. Hackett, r-Geno-al, Minister of Transport and Minister of Marine, when he addressed about GO electors at CastleclifT last night. The Mayor of Wanganui, the Hon. W. J. Kogers, M.L.C., presided and associated with the Minister were Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P. for Wanganui, and Mr. F. W. Finer, candidate for Patea. After reading the policy of the National Party, Mr. Hackett said he was more firmly convinced that the National Party was trying to win the election by deceit. Their policy, contradictory though it. was, was based on pure deceit. Dealing with the National Party’s policy regarding the rights of inheritance, he said that the National Partv members in the P ast had done much as disinheritors. The Labour Party had no thought of doing anything that would jeopardise the rights of inheritance. The National Party had endeavoured to develop this matter into a fear bogey in the minds of the old people. If Mr. Holland intended to reduce the cost of living he would have to lower the standard of living of the peopole, said the Minister. So far as lack of incentive was concerned, the only incentive the National Party knew’ was the fear of loss of employment. It was the desire of the National Party to see created an unemployment pool which would cause men to work twice as hard as God intended them in order to hold down their jobs. They would attack the rising cost of living by lowering the wages of the workers. Their method of creating incentive undoubtedly would be the creation of a fear of unemployment. LOWERING OF TAXATION, Those who subscribed to the funds of the National Party hoped that it the party were elected as Government to secure their dividends in the form of reduced taxation, said Mr. Hackett. The reduction of taxation was one of the main planks of the National Party. "This is where the whole of our beneficial legislation would be thrown overboard. This year, it is true, we hope to collect £101,000,000 in all forms of tvcation,” he said. If the Government did not receive the £101,000,000 it could not meet its commitments for the year to the people. About 60 per cent, of the money would go back to the people in various ways. On Social Security alone, it was proposed to spend £46,000,000. As only £31,000,000 was received in Social Security taxation, it would be necessary to "find the remainder from the Consolidated Fund. When the Labour'Government took oilice the amount spent on education was only £3,000,000 per annum. This year the Government was spending £11,200,000 on education. The Government had built 247 new schools, replaced 179 and 1099 had been added to or remodelled. New Zealand schools were now the finest in the world. More than £14,000,000 was being paid out as the 10s a week for children. To maintain these services ahd these benefits it was necessary for the present rate of taxation to be maintained. Another £11,000,000 was being paid in subsidies to keep down the prices of butter and many other articles.

PRO VISION AGAINST DEPRESSION "I do not wish to create a fear psychology, but the dark cloudg on the horizon lead me, and minds more qualified than mine, to believe that a depression is on the way,” said the Minister. In America there were 4,500,000 registered unemployed. In all countries which had governments similar to that represented by the National Party there was unemployment. New Zealand and Australia, with Labour Governments were, fortunately, free from unemployment. He believed that depressions were man-made and were created by such interests as the National Party represented. Th e Labour Government had already taken steps to protect New Zealand from the effects of any depression which, God forbid, should ever reach this country.

"It is our policy to guarante e full employment,” said Mr. Hackett. “Our policy provides for every man to have a useful job.” He said that steps had already been taken to ensure the carrying out of this policy. He produced a chit which entitled a man during the depression to work in a quarry for four days a week for 36s a week with which to maintain his wife, himself and nine children. The men who had been responsible for these things had said they would do the same again. He instanced a qualified machinist, who received 30s a week during the depression, but today would command £7 to £7 10s a week of anyone's money. Prices fixed by the Price Tribunal, said Mr. Hackett, were maximum prices and there was no earthly reason why anyone should not sell at below these prices. He contended that there was ample room for competition today. INCOME TAX REBATE. When the Government gave The £lO rebate in income tax the Opposition said it was mere chicken feed, said Mr. Hackett. They did not say that as a result. 125,000 ratepayers who were paying from £1 to £lO in tax did not. have to pay income lax that year, The proposal of the Opposition was to abolish the surcharge of 15 per cent., which would have benefited the wealthy man but. would have given practically no relief to the man who only paid a small amount, in income lax. The flat rate of a rebate of 20 per cent, on the income of all taxpayers had placed everyone on the same looting. "Our rehabilitation scheme is sucn that, in spite of their criticism in the House, National Party members of Parliament who went overseas tried to make themselves big by boasting of the success of our scheme,” said Mr. Hackett. This was another measure which had to be financed out of taxation. "The Government still stands pledged to abolish sales tax. We have not forgotten that pledge,” said the Minister. Sales tax would be removed when the time for its removal presented itself or the income of lhe