DEMOCRAT PARTY ACTIVE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21536, 27 July 1935, Page 18

DEMOCRAT PARTY ACTIVE

Organiser Makes a Statement VOTE-SPLITTING THEORY CRITICISED

Claiming that the Democrat political party has made very rapid progress, and that the charges of votesplitifing which have been levelled against it arc unfounded, Mr A. E. Davy, chief executive officer of the party, has made a statement to "The Press." He says that a meeting of all Democrat candidates has been called for the second week in August, and that within the next few weeks the party should be. able to make public the full details of its organisation and policy. "As the chances of the various political parties are being freely discussed in the press, and as all sorts of rumours are current regarding the Democrat party, m- executive has authorised me to make an official statement," says Mr Davy. "Our political opponents have sought to damage us at every opportunity, and a strong intensive whispering campaign wa3 instituted some time ago. However, these efforts have all failed miserably—in fact, they merely served to advertise the party. We have made very rapid progress indeed. "Based oa False Premises" "Apparently the only argument left to our friends, the National Socialists, is the old cry of vote-splitting. The whole story of vote-splitting is based or false premises. The fluctuating aggregate votes of parties is a proof of this. To say, after an election, that the votes cast for any of the three parties is a definite Reform, or United, or Labour vote, is entirely wrong. "The electors, in recording their votes, are actuated mainly by the performance of the Government, its policy, and the type of candidate for whom they are asked to vote. Moreover, I consider it an insult to the intelligence of the people of this Dominion to suggest that they vote unintelligently, and that parties should combine to defeat their constitutional right to elect a Parliamentary representative, irrespective of party, class, or creed. Preferential Voting "If new candidates are to be prevented from entering the field because of this bogey, it is perfectly obvious that we must be prepared to put up with the same politicians and the same sorry legislation year in and year out. It is unthinkable that we should be asked to stagnate in this manner. If neither the Nationa> Socialists nor the Labour Socialists appeal to the elector, is he, in effect, to be disfranchised? At the last general election, when we had a two party contest, approximately 1500 electors in each electorate did not vote, simply because, in the main, they had no one to vote for. If the Government is sincere in its dislike for minority votes, let it introduce some fair system of preferential voting. "But if it attempts to retain office by some slippery method of preferential voting, that is designed purely to ensure the election of its candidates, the Democrat party will resist it strenuously. We know that the Government will not hesitate to use unscrupulous methods to retain offce at all costs, as it has already done in tne extension of the life of Parliament.

Party Policy

"At the present time we are being berießed with requests regarding tho nature of our policy. Our candidates at next month's meeting will decide the exact details of our policy, which will be based on certain broad principles. Committees all over New Zealand are at work on these details at the present time. We will have a definite scheme for the relief of unemployment, based on development and reproductive works, both State and local body, and private enterprise. Our aim is to get the unemployed back to their own trades or calling"; nt standard rates of pay. Our scheme does not necessitate any taxation increases, inflation of currency, or enormous borrowing. It simply means the utilisation of our present resources in a common sense and practical manner. "Assistance to farmers is an important question, and the schemes we have In view will ensure that farmers are able to carry on. without inflicting undue losses on mortgagees or without robbing the farmer of his freedom, or. his years of work represented in his equity. Again this scheme relies on practical common sense, using the means already at hand, without any fantastic currency or credit manipulation. We are opnosed to all socialistic schemes, legislation, and enterprise. We believe that prosperity can come only with the rehabilitation of the privatp individual, and the recognition and encouragement of his right to work and trade in a free manner. We b-j----eve in the sanctity of contracts, and we believe that relief from now pressing contracts can be given in a more equitable manner, without undue hardship to either side. ■"Practical and Progressive" "Generally speaking, our policy will b> practical and progressive, as opposed to the present impractical experimental legislation." Mr Davy, referring again to the vote-spHttlng "bogey." says that tho three-party election of 1928, according to the present argument of the Nationalists, should have "let the Labour party in." But actually in that election Labour lost seals in threecornered contests. T n 1931, on the other hand, there was a two-party fight: yet the Labour party gained seats. The split-vote argument was sound neither in principle, theory, nor fact. It was used merely as an argument to catch the unwary and to win back disgruntled supporters.