Secret Agreements

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29745, 12 February 1962, Page 7

Secret Agreements

Sir. —Summaries of agreements for nine industries sanctioned by the Labour Government have been published. These agreements are of the same pattern as that for the cotton industry. They all involve elements of mononoly or of special protection Eight of these nine industries are located in the Auckland province and one near Christchurch. The cotton mill was to be in Nelson. Christchurch people surely surely like to be consistent Will they and Christchurch newspapers now press for the cancellation of the agreements under which these industries are to operate on the grounds that they have the same bad features a: have been said to exist in the cotton mill agreement. Or do they feel that circumstances —particularly of location—alter cases? Surely it is not proper to kill one project and let nine others having kindred agreements live? — Yours, etc., CARNACH. Nelson, February 9, 1962. Sir. —Once unon a time there was a noble prince (a Socialist Party) whose policy it was to nationalise industries. because these, if left in the hands of wicked barons (capitalistic monopolists) became a powerful weapon which enabled them to exploit a fair princess (the consumer) The prince waged war on these wicked baron* to save the princess; but that was.—Yours, etc , ONCE UPON A TIME February 9. 1962.

Sir.—Dr A. M. Finlay is only one of many who are gravely concerned about our future. On New Zealand Day I listened to a radio rendition of our Nev; Zealand national anthem, and reflected that our vaunted democracy is really a rather decadent form of government which must be called a partocracy, government of the people by the party for the party. The candidate for whom I vote cannot use his intelligence unless the line which his party takes is his own. Just how many Parliamentarians could honestly decide to waste great sums of money which we have all had to pay up in a variety of ways? For our future’s sake let us evolve something more honest and more efficient.—Yours, etc., COSMOSIAN. February 9. 1962.