WHISPERING IN RANKS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20952, 3 November 1939, Page 7

WHISPERING IN RANKS

LABOUR MOVEMENT MR SEMPLE ON CURRENCY (Special to Times) GREYMOUTH, Thursday Whispering was going on now within the Labour movement, that the Government was not going fast enough and should do this and that, while a lot of other people were telling the world that its legislation was bringing ruin to the country and disgrace to the British Empire, said the Hon. R. Semple, Minister for Public Works, in a speech at the opening of the Strongman mine. They had individuals in the ranks of Labour who had never done much in their lives, and had not the faintest conception of responsibilities or difficulties involved in trying to bring the country out of a state of poverty and stagnation, to the pedestal of security and comfort for its people. The difficulty was to introduce and administer progressive legislation in a country with a population of 1,500,000 and forming part of the capitalistic system which controlled the world. What the Greeks Did “The steps we have taken for monetary reform have never been taken sipce the days of the ancient Greeks,” said Mr Semple. “The Greeks had State control of currency for 500 years before being defeated by the Roman Empire. There are no records of any country having since obtained control over currency and credit so that they reflect the wealth of the people. “Because we did that, we have started the hostility of the money oligarchy of the world. We are fighting not only the reactionary forces, but the boneheads in the Labour movement and the tremendous powers overseas. The problems were created before we took control; 1,500,000 people having to find £12,000,000 annually to meet overseas commitments before we can do anything with our own income for our own people. If those individuals who indulge in cowardly and superficial criticism could only sit like Cabinet grappling with the difficulties, almost insurmountable, in fighting the whole monetary system of the world, they would crawl away and hang their heads in shame.”