N.Z. Poll Seen As Sign Of Wider Left Swing

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28451, 4 December 1957, Page 15

N.Z. Poll Seen As Sign Of Wider Left Swing

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 3.

The “Daily Telegraph” in a leading article today suggested that the victory of the Labour Party in the New Zealand elections pointed to a Left-wing swing of the English speaking world’s political pendulum. “It is normal in democratic countries for the party in power, after it has served two terms, to lose some seats to the Opposition, and since the conservative Governments have been in power for more than one term in three of these four countries (Australia, Britain, the United States and Canada) some swing towards the left was more than probable.” “But there is very little chance that Australia’s Labour Party, split by fratricidal strife, would succeed in ejecting Mr Menzies’ firmly based conservative administration,” said the newspaper.

“After the South-east Leicester by-election [in which the Conservatives retained their seat with a reduced majority! it is still difficult to see any swing in Britain towards the Labour Party. Although the Democrats in the United States have been scoring local successes it would be foolish to predict what will happen there three years hence. “What makes the whole subject more confusing is that the New Zealand Labour Party seems, so far as its platform is concerned, virtually indistinguishable from the Conservatives. Its victory may possibly be the writing on the wall, but if so, the message is well nigh illegible,” the “Daily Telegraph” said. There could be little doubt that Mr Nash “almost bought his party's return to power by the promise of £lOO to each taxpayer,” Ronald Monson, said in the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” today.

“Most New Zealanders found the offer too good to pass up, but the fact that Labour came back with a majority of only one indicates that many of them were

distrustful of what the future might bring,” he said. “Judging by the heavy tax imposts • Mi* Nash slapped on his country during the 14 years he was Minister for Finance, the New Zealand taxpayers may yet find that £lOO will be dragged back from them—with interest.” Monson said.

“But they should feel a sense of gratitude for the social benefits they now enjoy, foi’ most of them were hand-outs from Mr Nash when he was Minister for Social Security.” An older generation of New Zealanders would not have forgotten that it was Mr Nash’s financial measures that pulled the country back to prosperity after the depression years of the early 1930’5.

Mr Nash was taking on heavy responsibilities at an age when most men were thinking of retiring. Monson said. “When he presents his next budget, New Zealanders may be wishing that he had retired before he offered that succulent £lOO carrot.”