Another Election?

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31340, 10 April 1967, Page 12

Another Election?

Sir, —Mr Kirk’s challenge to the Prime Minister to call a General Election is reminiscent of a similar challenge which a National Government took up in 1951 and reduced Labour representation by five seats! Besides being a dangerous challenge to make, it is also an irresponsible one at a time when Government expenditure is being curtailed. Mr Kirk admitted that he hadn't a clue on how long a Labour Government would take to' remedy our present etmomic position. If Labour’s promises of 1957 and it performance of 1958 are anything to go by, its performance in 1967 after all its juicy promises at the last election would be disastrous. Electors can be doubly pleased that a party which makes wild promises at election time and which allows itself to be run by the Federation of Labour is still In Opposition.—Yours, etc., REALISTIC. April 7, 1967.

Sir, —Your correspondent, S. Ann, is correct in stating that a Labour Government in 1959 deprived people on small fixed incomes of the benefit of exemption from Social Security tax on the first £lO4 of income. The same NashNordmeyer combination on election eve :ad offered the inducement (I forbear to

mention the substitute word) of a £lOO rebate on income tax, which later resulted in a loss of revenue of £2O million, which would have been a handy nest egg in present circumstances. Only the well-to-do received this handsome gift, as the average family man would scarcely be on an income liable to £lOO in tax. Thi? was tantamount to robbing Paul to pay Peter. Fendalton electors should be on guard in case Labour should come to light with some similar inducement on the eve of the by-election.—Yours, etc., 1959 BUDGET. April 8, 1967.

Sir,—“Neutral” suggests leaving National in office for the remaining two-and-a-half years of their term, for better or worse. The only logic I can see in this thinking is that, since National were elected by the people last November, they should be supported for the promised term. However, if the Government are acting differently from what they said they would in November, it is time for action on the part iff the people. Many people are rather annoyed with the mess the country is in at present, not least the National Party themselves. Yet, with National as Government for the last six-and-a-half years, surely it is partly their fault? Until now, National have been throwing the “Black Budget” down the throat •of Labour supporters, but now they seem to have forgotten all about it. It is not hard to guess why.— SOPHOCLES. April 8, 1967.