KAIAPOI SEAT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24043, 3 September 1943, Page 6

KAIAPOI SEAT

MR W. H. OVERTON’S PLATFORM a National Government to obtain a war effort with no contentious narty politics and no outside domination would be one of the first aims of the National Party if opposing members of Parliament were wmmg to co-operate, said Mr W H. p v arton. National Party candidate for the Kaiapoi seat, when he addressed electors in the Yaldhurst School last evening, after earlier speaking to a meeting or 70 at Harewood. A pphey of free from sectional legislation and restrictions had been prepared by the “new leader of the new party with the new platform,” said Mr Overton From the men he had met at the Natmnal Party’s candidates’ conference, he was convinced that they were fit and able to govern New Zealand. After outlining the party’s housing policy and benefits for families Mr Overton explained that among the items from which the National Party intended to lift the sales tax. were building materials and labour-saving devices for the home. By this means it was hoped to obtain an immediate improvement in the general standard of living, and to break many of the class barriers in the community which were purposely being maintained tor selfish motives by those who should The primary producer would receive his due share of consideration under a national government, said Mr Overton Producer-controlled markets m co-oneration with the Government with maximum and minimum fixed prices for the protection of the producer and consumer would allow participation in seasonal benefits, This scheme would eliminate the Internal Marketing Division which, although established to prevent speculation, had been able to make a profit of £35.000 Industrial Harmony An industrial harmony bureau would be formed to promote amicable relations between employers and employees. or—as the National Party preferred to regard them—organisers and craftsmen. The best vocational advice with equal free educational opportunities for all from kindergarten to university, coupled with a happy home life and scope in creative employment, would give wide community satisfaction under the National Party. Freedom from the regimentation to which returned servicemen had so long been subjected would be a the National Party’s rehabilitation programme which did not relief works. A rehabilitation minister with an advisory council of returned servicemen would give effect to the recommendations of local councils The National Party was keen on decentralisation and fully appreciated the desirability of co-opting local authorities Control of Finance Finance would be vested in a nonpolitical credit and currency control commission responsible to the full parliament. Credit should be sufficiently elastic to serve the needs of the producer. “Money must be made the servant instead of the master of man. said Mr Overton. t . . Tracing the incidence of taxation in recent years. Mr Overton said his party favoured a sliding scale depending on the size of the family Wages pensions. social security, and other benefits would not be cut but anomalies and injustices would be removed Extension of school medical services had been planned to eradicate illness early Preventive treatment as against vast' curative institutions, was obviously the best investment of public money It was proposed to have children medically examined twice a year with an annual X-ray examination Mr Overton expressed the view that New Zealand was over-committed her war effort, and that an overhaul of the manpower position and an investigation of where best the Dominion could serve the United Nations in sunn 1 vine nrimarv produce was long overdue. . , . Most of the questions answered by Mr Overton dealt with unionism and the control of banks. A unanimous vote of confidence was carried. Mr T. A. Guy presided.