Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 9. 1ts May 1973
[Introduction]
"We shall emancipate
the humble from the great
But nasty men
who ask us when
make us expectorate".—Student Extravaganza Song of the first
Labour Government.
The first Labour Government came to power in 1935 with promises to back the worker in everything and to socialise the means of production, distribution and exchange.
In fact, it attacked and deregistered militant unions and greatly developed monopoly—some monopolists such as Fletchers were virtually created by the Labour Government.
Peter Fraser, who started his career fighting militarism and conscription in World War I ended it by imposing conscription on N.Z. youth in 1949.
Already the Kirk Labour Government shows signs of going the same way—of selling out on the promises it made in gaining power because these promises are incompatible with the needs of capitalism in New Zealand.