Liberals Reply To “The Press’’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 16

Liberals Reply To “The Press’’

The members of the executive committee of the Canter-bury-West Coast Council of the Liberal Party of New Zealand were very surprised and shocked to read the leading article in “The Press’ on Monday, says a supplied statement by the party. “They are unanimously agreed that this editorial, headed ‘Vote-Splitting and the Liberals’ contains the most unreasonable and unjust statements ever to come from your pen,” the statement says.

"Although you infer that the Liberals have only two distinctive policies, namely a second chamber, and a written constitution, you must be well aware that our chief difference with the National and Labour parties lies in our distaste of the fostering of protected industries, and the introduction of new industry, by import restrictions.

“We regard this of paramount importance, as we fear we shall be unable to maintain our overseas trade relations, and surely cannot expand them except on a basis of reciprocal trade. The National Party’s original intentions were to foster trade by either reciprocal, or multi-lateral trade, subject only to moderate tariff control. We claim ' th:' it has abandoned these basic principles without a mandate from its own supporters, or from the people,” the statement said. “You, sir, have frequently supported these same principles, but now you have seen fit to somersault; to oppose the policy of a party wishing to re-establish a free economy. You are also prepared to go to great lengths to support the policy of a controlled economy, to which you have been historically opposed. “Further distinctive dif-

ferences between our policies and those of the National Party, (differences which the early part of your editorial has chosen to ignore), are the very points you raise later in your article; namely the entry of trading banks into savings bank business and the economic aggregation of farms.

“Other constructive proposals of the Liberal Party are the removal of death duties up to £3o,ooo—the reduction of the burden of Social Security by transferring its administration from Government to insurance offices, and so save the Government the enormous expense of administration costs. There are many other improvements on our platform which we will be pleased to enumerate in detail if you will grant us the necessary space—which has not been the case to date. Marked Effect

“We agree that a Liberal vote will have a marked effect on future elections, but unless you have a strong bias in favour of the National Party (in other words a warped political expediency) we fail to see how this effect can be anything but beneficial.

“Your dogmatic denouncement of the Liberal Party clearly indicates you subscribe to the view that the democratic traditional right of the people to form a new party should be suppressed. This must surely be born of fear. Could it be a fear of the decision of the people? “In conclusion sir, you cannot be unaware that, on the fiscal issue, the National Party is already divided. Under harsh economic circumstances, which almost certainly will eventuate, all people of similar opinions must come together, overriding their party loyalties,” the statement said.