UNITY GOVERNMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 13

UNITY GOVERNMENT.

NEW ZEALAND LEGION AIM. AIR. WILL APPLETON'S OUTLINE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) OTAKI, Friday. In making a plea for the selection of a strong National Government at a meeting of the New Zealand Legion at Otaki to-day, Air. Will Appleton, one of the members of tho national executive, dealt with tho spectacle which, he said, all had witnessed during the past two years, of sectional interests trying to stampede the Government into adopting policies not for the good of tho community, but for the benefit of certain groups. There had, for instance, been a definite attempt to drive a wedge between the secondary and primary industries.

Tho Coalition Government, said Mr. Appleton, had been brought into being at tlio instigation, to a great extent, of the business interests of this Dominion, and yet immediately the >Government found it necessary to apply tho axe of economy there was a howl from some section or other not to interfere in expenditure which affected them or their interests. Tho truth was that scarcely any section of tho community had escaped, and it was time that, in facing the national situation, all hypocrisy should be dropped.

Mr. Appleton said lie held no particular brief for the Coalition Government. There • might be weaknesses in policy, and that was why lie had advocated support for the legion to bring about a real unity Government, representative not only of Conservatives and Liberals and Labour, but of the thousands who felt they were not adequately represented under existing conditions. At the same time it had to be admitted that the Government's policy had not lacked vigour and enterprise.

While there had been a little improvement in trade, New Zealand was not yet out of the wood, and what was needed was a strong National Government freed from the intrigues and petty spirit of party strife. Mr. Appleton stated there was no desire on the part of the New Zealand Legion to create another political body. It was endeavouring rather to get the existing parties aligned 011 a non-party basis to meet the country's serious and diilicult position.

Mr. Appleton also dealt with the. system of preferential voting advocated by the legion, which had drafted a proposed bill 011 the subject, lie pointed out that preferential voting should not be confused with proportional representation which had been tried in the Christehureh municipal elections and apparently found wanting, as those who had advocated the measure now wished it to be repealed.

In llio legion's' hill, Jlr. Appleton explained, it was provided tliat if in tlie first count the trial total of any candidate was less than half the trial total of the candidate who was highest on the first count, such unsuccessful candidate should forfeit his deposit. It was suggested that the deposit for Parliamentary elections in future should not lie less than £20 in order to prevent an excessive number of candidates and to discourage the standing of men who were simply "dummies."