MR WEBB'S CLAIM

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21251, 23 October 1940, Page 9

MR WEBB'S CLAIM

MISLEADING REPORT REMARKS ABOUT CAPITALISM APPEALING FOR UNITY - ny TelPfrrapn.—press Association) WESTPORT. Tuesday The Minister of Mines and Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, stated at his meeting at Hector tonight that he was amazed to read in certain papers published elsewhere what he described as a garbled account of an address he delivered at Denniston two days ago. There were certain portions of his speech which totally misrepresented the whole spirit and purpose of his appeal to the miners and the people of the coast. The statement that “capitalism would be dead as Julius Caesar” was only part of what was said. “The statement which I did make, said the Minister, “was in reply to critics who claim that the war is merely a capitalist war to perpetuate capitalism, and I stated that men like Mr Ernest Bovin. Minister of Labour in England. and other members of the English Government representing both sides of political thought had emphatically stated that the old conditions which prevailed before the war would never again be tolerated, and I was of the definite opinion that people who were fighting and suffering and working side by side in a spirit of determination to uphold and firmly establish the principles of justice and democracy would stick together when the war was over and establish new economic conditions in keeping with the necessities of the changed world. Hope for Unity “I pointed out that the capitalism which allowed a few to accumulate untold wealth and thrive on profitmongering benefited only the few at the expense of the millions who were unable to find employment and enjoy a decent standard of living,” added the Minister. “The common bond which unites us now will, I am sure, unite us after the war and that form of capitalism will be buried. The Government of this country is not concerned about ‘isms’ as it is about results. We are aiming to establish the highest standard of living lhat our national production can support. The motto of this Government is to make use of the most efficient machinery to provide that standard of living which is so essential to a healthy and happy life, and if by co-operat-ing with private enterprise we can obtain better results that co-opera-tion will be willingly given: in fact, the whole tone of my speech was in the opposite direction from that which has been reported. “I wanted to see the spirit of the Economic Conference expressed in the mines and workshops of the country, that is. an all-in policy, pooling our knowledge for the common good. I regret that such a garbled account, which totally misrepresented many of the vital points I endeavoured to make, should have been sent out.

j “I deprecated any agitation on the ; part of either employers or workers j which divided our ranks during this time.” said Mr Webb, “and my appeal was for more coal production i and more farm production in order that we can contribute more to our national war effort.”