MB. ALGIE'S REMEDIES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 81, 6 April 1943, Page 2

MB. ALGIE'S REMEDIES

I read with amusing interest Mr. Algie's address to some business men of the city last week. He seems to have exhausted his criticism of the Labour party find is turning his attention to the critical date of the next election. Mr. Algie says that "if we want top-ranking representatives we will have to go into the electorate and look for them." Just so, but before even attempting to find them there is the necessity of having an organisation with a policy. We have always been governed by the party system, and until something better is suggested this will continue. He suggests so many remedies to gain his objective that he seems completely befogged. He thinks that the simplest solution to get the best men is to increase the salary to £1000 a year, but he answers that himself by stating that he doubted if that would be acceptable to the public. We have had grand statesmen in our Parliament, too numerous to mention, but they would have laughed to scorn at the idea that they placed money value on their services to the State. If the Labour party had made such a suggestion at the elections of 1935 and 193S one could well imagine Mr. Algie's bitter comments. In regard to party ties Mr. Algie says that the type of men he has in view would not readily bind themselves to the rulings of an organisation. That seems to reach the climax and Mr. Algie should at once join hands with the Independents and forget about his "new type," who are never likely to see the inside of Parliament House. Mr. Algie must realise that a prospective member of Parliament, unless the candidate is of "outstanding quality." has no chance of being elected without a strong party backing, and no party can succeed unless it has an "appealing policy." ■ REMUERA ELECTOR.