PROMISES BY PARTIES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29368, 22 November 1960, Page 18

PROMISES BY PARTIES

Social Credit Pledge

Unlike past governments which had gained power because of their election promises and remained in power for three years without carrying them out. Social Credit had n sworn pledge that it would resign from office if it had not reduced taxation, the cost of living, and production costs after two years in office, said Mr John Forster, Social Credit candidate for Fendalton, last evening.

Mr Forster, who gave two street addresses during the evening, said Social Credit considered it was the duty of all governments to honour their election promises It challenged the other parties to come forward with a similar legal declaration.

Mr Forster said both the Labour and National Parties during their terms of office had increased taxation, increased the national debt and allowed prices to keep on rising. Each had introduced legislation of a “dictatorial” nature. “New Zealand is being sold to monopolies: bc’b parties h—e allowed more and more monopolies to become est"blished,” he said.

He outlined points from Social Credit’s policy, including the reduction in cost of various commodities. and subsidies on meat, fish, and clothing.

Staggered holidays would be introduced in New Zealand to ensure that ' adequate services were maintained at all times, he said. Dealing with the comma problem of automation in which the machine would take over the work of many people he said persons who were displaced by machines would be absorbed, because of the expanding Social Credit emnnmv into o 4V *er positions. While findtv« o*her fobs thev would be paid at awarrates. A margin of a third would be paid between skilled and unskilled labour. Teachers’ Ftaries “Social Credit believes that the most important people in the community are teachers.” said Mr Forster, in the teachers' hands were not only the minds of the children, but the future of the nation. He said teachers' salaries would be raised under a Social Credit government to “a trulv professional level.” Salaries of university personnel, he said Would be made comparable with overseas rates so ’—at the drift to overseas positions, which wa° most notieeahle at present, would

b» overcome. , Mr Forster described the oartvs health policy a« the most progressive ever formed in this country or in the world. He said it provided, amom other things reeovnition for medical groups which devised new cures.