“Not Even A Shred” Of Labour Policy

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29820, 12 May 1962, Page 18

“Not Even A Shred” Of Labour Policy

(New Zealand l-ress Association) WELLINGTON, May 11. In all the several thousand words that have been issued by the Labour Party annual conference this week, it was impossible to find even a shred of future policy or a statement of practical intention, said the president. Sir Alexander McKenzie, at a meeting of the National Party’s Dominion executive which opened in Wellington this morning.

He was reviewing the current political situation in New Zealand. "In short, the Labour Party has trot told us what it is cleaving to, but rather what it is try’ng to get away from.” he added.

"At this late stage in its life, the Labour Party seems unsure abouit its former enthusiasm for ‘ultimate’ or ‘democratic Socialism’ and claims, instead, to see a little merit in the ‘vigour and viability of ‘the private sector? “Elsewhere in its policy report the Labour Party acknowledged that in certain fields ‘much of the capital must come from private sources and will be more readily forthcoming if it remains under private control ’ “Again, our friends have discovered ‘tihat there is not only room, but also a need for a private sector as well as a public sector ’ Change of Heart “We must congratulate the Labour Party on this politicoeconomic discovery—even if it has taken them some 55 years to make it. "From the foundataion of the Labour Party in 1907 to the present day there is little evidence of their saying anything in favour of private enterprise.

"Thus we are more than a little dubious about this apparent sudden change of heart, particularly those of us whose memories reach back to the 1958 Budget, wher. Mr Nordmeyer hit the

‘private sector,’ which included everyone, with everything he had. “That was dear evidence of toe Labour belief that it can spend the people’s money better than the people can. and nowhere in anything I

have read this week have I seen any retreat from that Ingrained Labour doctrine. ‘‘Sad Spectacle" “It is significant, too, that in a doctrinal statement which now purports unenthusiastically to include the ‘private sector,’ the Labour Party still avows that ‘the best way to achieve these aims is Socialism.’ "It is my belief that the people of New Zealand have had enough of Socialism, however it is dressed up with labels and statements. "Summing up. what we have witnessed this week is the sad spectacle of several hundred reluctant Socialist delegates in search of an election-winning policy—and so far as I can see they have failed to find it," Sir Alexander McKenzie concluded