NATIONAL PARTY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 135, 21 March 1939, Page 3

NATIONAL PARTY

“ FACTS BEFORE COUNTRY/' STATEMENT BY MR HAMILTON. (Per Press Association). INVERCARGILL, March 20. “I do not have to apologise to Mj Savage, his Gbvernment, or anyone else, in placing the facts of the political situation before the country,” said the Hon. Adam Hamilton, Leader of the Opposition, this evening. Mr Hamilton will leave to-morrow for Gisborne and the Waikato to meet supporters of the National Party to discuss current political problems. “Part of the duty of an opposition under the British democratic system, of which we are proud, is that it expounds the views of a large minority of the people,” said Mr Hamilton. . “Even although the Government may/ not always admit the part the Opposition plays in constructive criticism, a truly democratic Government with the interests of the nation as a whole at heart notes that criticism., and frequently amends its policy accordingly.” Half-truths repeated over and over again as propaganda and aimed to discredit any legitimate opposition had reached such alarming proportions in recent times under the cloak of an “I-can-do-no-wrong” hypocrisy, that it was his duty to speak plainly of them. In day-to-day life for men and women, over-sensitiveness to criticism on simple and matter-of-fact issues and a tendency to personal abuse rather than to logic were rightly condemned in a government apparently so self-satis-fied with itself. It was an amazing and ■significant feature of tile present political situation that-in its dictatorial manner the Labour Government was taking a leaf from the books of- the totalitarian States which had used methods of intolerance and skilled propaganda of half truths, he continued. “As Leader of the National Party, I will never shirk my duty in laying bare the facts as I se© them for. the calm judgment of our people,” said Mr Hamilton. “Whether a change of heart of Mr 'Savage and his colleagues in their present talk of national welfare rather than class struggle is prompted by expediency or a genuine- desire remains to be seen, bu,t for it the National Par * ty members can take much of the credit since their representations seem to have had; some weight. “That the .Labour Government’s talk is not exactly, to the pattern of that heard, when its members were wooing popular opinion in their campaign to reach the Treasury benches may surprise most pLits supporters. Again the National Party can rightly,-claim credit for constructive criticism aimed at drawing the attention of the Government to many of its shortcomings, from financial policy to defence,” he concluded.