THE SOLDIERS' PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 169, 17 July 1919, Page 7

THE SOLDIERS' PARTY.

SUGGESTED PLATFORM. A NATIONAL PROGRAMME. WITH OLD AND NEW "FEATURES. - ith «f«-enee to the intimation in -last nights "Auckland Star" that the | Auckland Provincial Executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association has approved a proposal to form a separate j political party, it is now possible to forecast the main feature of the programme which will be submitted to the I branches for endorsement. ' It appears that, quite contrary to the main theme of the late Auckland proposals, the movement aspires not merely to remedy specific soldier grievances, as matters apart from the interest oi | the rest of the community, but to form a broad national programme having for its object the unifying of progressive and reconstructive impulses. The promoters claim that the first real necessity of the State is a new spirit and a new vitality, and that new legislation is of secondary importance. Therefore the returned soldiers' platform would base its claim upon the spirit of goodwill, unity, honesty, and constructiveness which stands behind it, and which is insisted upon as the vital principle oi immediate future progress aud the national health and welfare. PLANKS OF THE PLATFORM. Among the planks of the platform are:— Reform of the Army system so that a status suited to a citizen army shall take the place of the traditions which have governed a professional army. Removal of public works and railway expenditure from Parliamentary control to exclude political influences. The organisation of home and foreign markets for New Zealand produce. Prevention of unfair manipulations oi freights and of the manipulation ot prices by trusts. Immediate development of the sources of hydro-electric power as a State monopoly. Increased energy in the construction of adequate main and other roads, with State-owned machinery to be available for hire by weaker local bodies. LAND SETTLEMENT. Land settlement whereby the holding of land in large unimproved or partiallyfarmed blocks shall be penalised by special taxation. Roads to precede the subdivision of new territory. Aggregation and speculative holding of Crown lands to be prevented. Unoccupied native lands to be resumed by the Crown at a strict valuation, and made available for settlement with all possible expedition. Unimproved Crown lands to be offered to returned soldiers free ot rent and interest for first three years. Free and secular education to be extended to furthest possible limits. Uniformity of free textbooks with continuity of policy in reference to same. Adequate accommodation in schools and adequate salaries for teachers. No recognition of sectarian religious considerations by the State. Religious societies to be upheld and unhindered so long as they do not interfere with politics and other non-sectarian matters. THE LIQUOR QUESTION. Considerable freedom of opinion on the liquor question, but candidate to vote against any more extreme measure by this Parliament other than ( 1) continuance of Referendum every seven years on bare majority; (2) special taxation to insure that the full value of the monopoly granted to the Trade is received by the State and that its political influence is destroyed; (3) inspection of licensed premises and infliction of severe penalties for adulteration. Provision for the redress of soldiers' grievances. Drastic action in regard to the rising cost of living to prevent profiteering, and the imposition of luxury taxes. Continuation of protective tariff system, with special provision for the encouragement of exports and the protection of local industries. Labour to have more part in the policy of industrialism and an early development of the Whitley Councils. Labour to recognise that it cannot rise to any measure of legitimate control of industry until it accepts in its attitude a corresponding measure of responsibility. State assistance in housing. Equal pay for equal work. A white New Zealand. Complete revision of taxation to impose burden proportionate to wealth and earning capacity. State depots for the hire of agricultural implements to settlers.