The Economy

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29802, 19 April 1962, Page 3

The Economy

Sir,—lnstead of answering my question “Once Bitten” asks me a series. Nobody who owned a palatial seaside residence and a motor launch was ever granted a State house under Labour: The fact that they apparently do now, according to your correspondent, is just a sign of the titnes. Railways were there before buses. We have to pay for them, so why not use them? The Labour Party devised a scheme to meet the demands of the Public Service. All the Nationalists did was to implement it. Apparently “Once Bitten’’ is not aware that it was Labour which gave the public servants the freedom they now enjoy. Has your correspondent forgotten that before Labour no public servant could stand for Parliament.— TOM BRYCE. April 16, 1962.

Sir, —In reply to “S.E.F>.” may I point out that Mr Shelton, in praying for "a little bit of luck,’’ demonstrates how vulnerable our economy is? The Labour Government’s “little bit of luck” was a drought in Europe, which raised our butter prices. The Labour Party had 18 years while the Government to overcome our dependency on overseas price levels, but failed. The most irresponsible thing about the 1957-1960 socialist Government was that having had its “little bit of luck’’ it squandered away not the Government's but our country’s resources in sanctioning rashly-increased imports as election bribes to give the country a sense of wellbeing and an artificial standard of living to which it was not entitled. The National Government may be trusted not to do this any more than it will resort to crash tactics. —Yours etc.. FORWARD WITH NATIONAL. April 17. 1982.

Sir.—"By the Wayside’' should remember that Labour gives us full value for taxation while National taxes for revenue to give hand-outs to its wealthy backers. I have a surplus of half-finished houses near me and all these are loan houses not needed because their owners went broke. “Forward With National” has forgotten that the Tories allowed private Landlords to increase their already high rents. If there is a surplus of houses, it is because people can’t get finance for them even from the Tory Government’s friends, the private moneylenders. Tell us more about these £5O deposit houses, u we want to know about them, Labour pro-

moted overseas trading by trade commissioners and better publicity and because Labour had higher prestige overseas—Yours, etc.. DISILLUSIONED NATIONALIST. April 18, 1962. Sir,—Good luck to the State house tenant who, from a bumble beginning, can. by his own initiative and hard work, buy a seaside house and motor launch, I believe he should pay an economic rent, as he will be required to under a National Government legislation. From the inception of the present housing scheme, and before 1942, labour used the printing press and charged as low as 1 per cent, interest, a highly inflationary policy. For the next seven years they borrowed from the public at 21 to 3 per cent, interest and charged rents, again based on 1 per cent., while at the same time private home builders were paying 5 and 6 per cent. For the year ended March 31, 1961, the loss on State house rents was £1.6 million, again subsidised by the young people buying their homes.—Yours, etc., ONCE BITTEN. April 17, 1932.

Sir, —I notice that Labourites are having their feast this morning, and they may be gracious enough to admit that all parties receive good coverage for their views in “The Press.” Tom Bryce’s admission that he got a rap over the knuckles, for "biting the hand that fed him” probably accounts for his bitterness, but does not excuse his wearying repitition of election speeches, and all the wrongs which he attributes to National. The time is come for all parties to pull together and work for the good of New Zealand. When the economy is balanced then have another scrap and enjoy it. I quote Lord Macauley: “None were for a party and all were for the State, and the rich man helped the poor man and the poor man loved the great ” And Shakespeare: “Tis a consummation to be devoutly wished for.” (Prayed for‘if you like.)—Yours, etc.,

B. CONSTANT. April 18, 1962. [This correspondence may now cease.—Ed., "The Press.”]