Sydenham Candidates Answer Questions

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29367, 21 November 1960, Page 17

Sydenham Candidates Answer Questions

More, than 200 persons attended a meeting in St. Saviour s Church hall, Sydenham, last evening to hear election candidates answer prepared questions.

The National Party candidate (Mr D. Quigley) and the Social Credit candidate (Mr J. Pounsford) were on the platform, but Miss M. B. Howard, Minister of Social Security and member of Parliament for the district, was not present. Her answers were read by the Rev. K. L. Warren, of St. David’s, Sydenham.

The chairman (the Rev. J. F. Ellis) read a telegram from Miss Howard explaining why she was not there.

Hie candidates were asked the following questions:— What are your attitudes to religious instruction in schools under the Nelson system as at present worked and the inclusion of religious knowledge as a subject for a degree? Mr Quigley said the Nelson system should be legalised and religious education put on a nondenominataonal basis. Provisions already existing at Auckland University for the study of religious subjects for a degree should be adopted throughout the country. Mr Pounsford said he would support any formula worked out by the clergy for religious instruction in schools, so long as parents could contract their children out, and the inclusion of religious knowledge as a degree subject. Miss Howard said she had never come into contact with the Nelson system and she could not voice an opinion about what was necessary for a degree. In the light of reports of a growing incidence of alcoholism in New Zealand, do you consider there is a problem, and what steps do you suggest to deal with it? Miss Howard said this was a question for her party as a whole, but she felt there was a need for liquor reform. Labour had made a start and she looked forward to more progress being made. Mr Pounsford said assistance should be given to national bodies fighting alcoholism and there should be facilities for more civilised drinking. Mr Quigley said people should be educated to regard alcoholism as a sickness, and there should be more civilised drinking, with liberalised hotel hours. Do you believe New Zealand has a responsibility towards South-east Asia to help lift living standards there, even at the cost of increased taxation in New Zealand? Mr Quigley said New Zealand had a duty to help South-east Asia; lower taxation in this coim-

try would increase productivity and more help could be given to under-privileged peoples. Mr Pounsford said he did not favour using New Zealand overseas exchange to help South-east Asia, but aid could be given by educating and by sending food, particularly food surpluses. Miss Howard said Labour had already shown how it stood on the question, and the prestige enjoyed by New Zealand overseas was for the unstinting help given in this cause. Do you think the Government should control the hire purchase system in the interests of the purchaser? Mr Pounsford said the Government could control hire purchase by feeding money into the system as this would make less need for hire purchase. Miss Howard said Labour was taking steps to do just this in its election policy. Mr Quigley said there should be Government control not so much for the purchaser, but also for the country itself, as hire purchase had a tremendous effect on the national economy. What do you consider to be the distinctive contribution which your party has to offer towards good government in New Zealand? Miss Howard said the Labour Government was recognised as being stable, and because of this millions of pounds in investments was being attracted to New Zealand and people were happier because there was no possibility of unemployment. Mr Quigley said that National as a party gave the individual the opportunity to work for himself and his family, and it put good government before political expediency. Mr Pounsford said the biggest contribution Social Credit could offer to the people was that it would be possible for them to get out of debt instead of getting into it. Two extra questions were interposed. but as these had arrived late Miss‘Howard did not know about them and only Mt Pounsford and Mr Quigley answered. Do you think that in this World Refugee Year New Zealand should increase its efforts towards emptying the world’s camps of stateless people? Other countries are doing magnificent work in this field; should New Zealand lag behind? Mr Pounsford said New Zealand should take its share of these people, but not so many as to unbalance New Zealand characteristics. Mr Quigley said New Zealand had a duty not only in World Refugee Year, but all the time. Do you think that New Zealand should perpetuate its policy of accepting only the cream of immigration in spite of the country’s need for population and the necessity in Christian charity for housing God’s afflicted? * % Mr Pounsford said New Zealand should take only its share of those not so well-equipped. Mr Qnigley said New Zealand should have a measure of immigration on the Australian pattern because of the urgent need for workers.