LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26511, 28 August 1951, Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

1. Letters sent to the Editor for printing must be written m init on one side of me paper only, and writers must send in . tnetr names and addresses in lull, whether th.y wish these to be printed or not 2. Writers must say clearly whether or not their letters are being or have been sent to other papers. 3. Th. Editor cannot return or keep any IhV.’« wlllc! ? £ or »ny reason is unsuitable for printing, nor can he acknowtad** unsuitable letter*, although this * .?? done where it s.erns to be needful, or enter into any correspondence about the letters sent in. Letters must pot be of more than 150 words in length. M.T.D.—See conditions above. Ex-Labourite.—Teo long. See above. Socialist.—Criticise advertisements in advertising columns. Jim Davie.—Why not protest to the station concerned? Freedom Lover,—Cannot accept two letters over different norns de plume on the same subject. Inquirer The assistant Medical Officer of Health (Dr. J. P. Kennedy), said in reply to.ypur letter: ‘‘No effect: but there will be a vary marked effect in goitre prevalence, which will increase if we stop using iodised salt." THE ELECTION Bir,--Tho National candidate for Sydenham, Mr A. H, Stott, said in a speech that the Labour Party laid the foundations for State houses and the National Party built them and put baths in them. If Mr Stott would take » toP t 0 Lower Hutt City, he would find thousands of State houses there; and to my knowledge there is a bath 1? sv.5 v .? ry T one ’ Ne »t month we trust that the Labour Party will start laying foundations for more new settlements.—Yours, etc., „ A B. MINNETT. Hororata, August 27, 1951. Sir.—Without wishing to contradict an unnamed fellow-economist, I have tried to calculate the cost of Mr Nash’s election promises, which were estimated by this unnamed economist to amount to £30,000,000. My own calculations, which are of course tentative and very approximate, come to an amount of additional expenditure of £6,750,000 and tax remissions of about £2,000,000. This m-kes a total of Ims than £10,000,000 deterioration in the position. On the other hand national income will be up by something like £100,000,000, promising additional tax Income of £25.000,000. In other words, neither Mr Nash nor Mr Holland was too generous in his promises and the money is all thsre, and more than that. Under present circumstances very much more substantial reductions in taxation appear possible, even with increased benefits. —Yours, etc., W. ROSENBERG. August 27, 1951. Sir,—So we are being treated to still another waterfront policy. Mr Nash’s difficu ty is how to catch new unionist votes. Ever since the waterside dispute began his policy has been a labyrinth of contradictions and Inconsistencies with previous policies Labour dislikes the assertion that a vote for Labour is a vote for Communism, but it is true even if the elector does happen to be fighting in Korea. There was never more unmitigated nonsense than Mr Parlane’s "National policy breeds Communism." Communists form a negligible proportion of our population, but they worm ; themselves into key positions, mainly labour unions. Compared with the fight against Communism, other questions arg insignificant—Yours, etc., V. WILKINSON. Mitcham, August 27, 1951. Sir,—ln order to make a sensible decision at the ballot box, electors must choose between the Labour Party, which has held and upheld its views on social justice for many years, and the National Party, which merely adopts these principles for electioneering purposes.—Yours, etc., D. ROBERTSON. Rakaia, August 25. 1951.

Sir, —Within a few days Mr Holland has access over our radio systems to broadcast his view* on political matters, so I appeal to him to announce his answers to three vital questions of public interest. (1) When a Cabinet Minister goes overseas on Government business, does the State have to pay the expenses of wives or other family members when they accompany him? (2) What is the remuneration paid to our High Commissioner in London and the period of time Mr Doidge has been appointed to hold office. (3) Is it true that Mr Doidge will receive a Parliamentary member of Parliament’s pension, additional to the salary attached to his position? These are matters causing the public considerable thought at the moment and deserve urgent answers.—Yours, etc., W. UREN. August 27, 1951.

Sir,—l too, wish to protest in the strongest possible terms, at the charge of National Party candidates In their smear campaign in saying that all those people who cast their vote for Labour are casting a vote for Communism, implying that they are Communists. This type of propaganda is typical of them, as their whole campaign is being conducted on misstatements, half-lruths and twisting of facts. A party which is desperate in its attempt to hold the treasury benches and which is endeavouring to instil fear into the people of New Zealand cannot claim to have the confidence of the country. New Zealanders are a fair-minded people, they hate trickery: and I feel sure that on September 1, they will repudiate these untruths by returning a Labour Government. The people won’t be fooled with broken nromises twice in 18 months.—Yours, etCr ’ P, J. KELLY, August 27, 1951,

Sir, —It seems certain that Mr Holland will take 12 more seats from his opponents next Saturday than he did at the previous election. Why? Well, voters have only one major issue before them: is law and order to prevail in New Zealand, or will irresponsible wreckers and outlaws boss the country? Addle-brained Socialists crying for the moon are only a silly nuisance in this work-a-day real world, but their fellow travellers will accompany them on any stage of that journey, which ends in the Slough of Desnond. It is so easy to flounder into a mess, not so easy to get out of it. Mr Holland’s every sign and action, privately and publicly, show that he “plays the man” in the best sense of the word; and it goes without saying that any man must first respect himself before he can command the respect of others.—Yours, etc., DON’T PLAY THE FOOL. August 27, 1951.

Sir,’-Why do a great many people persist in condemning Mr Nash personally? Mr Nash is a man not prone to the ordinary vices; he does not smoke. drink, gamble or swear. During the depression his home was one of the poorest in the Hutt, as he and his wi?e gave everything they possibly could to the needy, and went without themselves. He has given years of splendid service to the Labour movement, This man does not use politics to push himself and wife and family forward in society. He works for the !*ood of humanity. Cannot the poor, ignorant fools recognise a good man when they see one? History tells us these were the people who crucified Christ!—Yours etc., MOTHER OF FOUR. August 27, 1951, Sir.—As I opened the correspondence on the election, may I say to all your correspondents and to every elector, the issue is as plain as any sane person wil! know: chaos in New Zealand; or justice to all; freedom or fear. You all have your choice: will you do that which is right to your country or th’nk only of self? Ood defend New Zealand from all perils and dangers.— Yours, etc.. FREEDOM. August 27, 1951.