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“Workers Run Risk Of Throat Cutting Says MP”

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Description: This image was taken for the June 18th 1978, edition of the Tribune weekly newspaper, and was published with the caption: “Mr Jones”

An excerpt from the article read: “University students are "wasting their time" getting further education, and the working classes run the risk of "cutting their own throats" if they persist with industrial unrest. The National Member for Waitemata, Mr D. Jones, said this during an address at Massey University last week. In a question and answer session, Mr Jones was asked for his views on taking a tougher line with freezing workers' industrial disputes. "We can't as a Government force someone to work, particularly if they are earning $250-$300 a week and don't really need the extra money they are seeking" he said. Farmers have been getting to the end of their tether. The example of what happened in Invercargill a fortnight ago and in South Australia a month ago, when farmers took matters into their own hands because they were fed up with industrial disputes, "is finally all that any farmer, or the country can do." Deregistering a union isn't the answer. "They would just be deregistered, that's all. "The problem today is that many of you are wasting your time at university. You would be better off working at the freezing works for six months then going off to enjoy the arts and travel around the world with the money you earned and the tax you recovered," he said.”

This image forms part of the Manawatū Evening Standard Negative Collection. Unfortunately, only negatives between April and December 1978 are held.