National emphasis on liberalism

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32976, 24 July 1972, Page 2

National emphasis on liberalism

(From Our Own Reporter?

WELLINGTON, July 23.

The Liberal and Conservative coalition, better known as the National Party, this week-end confirmed its leadership’s view that party attention must be clearly directed at social welfare, at liberal humanitarianism, and at economic progress to serve “human values.”

Remits from the party' divisions generally coincided with the theme that the party leaders! are trying to set for the General Election. Where | they did not, the conference and its committees have been steadily, and with little opposition, i tailoring resolutions to fit the new pattern. Even the colour of the party symbols and literature has changed at this conference — from blue to orange. I The Prime Minister (Mr Marshall), giving the keynote address on Saturday mom-1 ing, talked of pragmatic, flexible policies, of “concern for people?* of “our liberal i and moderate position”, and of finding truth between extreme attitudes. . While he congratulated the Government on economic progress, he said: “We are not envious of the rich, affluent nations whose material wealth brings more human problems than human happiness.” He spoke of crime and violence, and of efforts to remove the “root causes of crime.” Freedom to assemble and express opinion would be protected; violence would not be tolerated, he said. Inflation would be brought under control for the health of the economy and "for social justice for all our citizens.” ' COMMUNITY SERVICE Community service by pub-lic-spirited citizens must supplement the Government’s work on community welfare, recreation and cultural activities, said Mr Marshall. “I can summarise it all by saying that we stand for libertyproperty, progress, and security for all New Zealanders — liberty for people to five their own lives in their own way within the law, provided they give the same freedom to other citizens.” If some delegates feared that all this apparent change <sf emphasis really meant they were now backing-a Socialist party, or were listening to an adroitly worded apology for New Zealand’s relatively modest economic growth in recent years, they could hardly accuse the frime Minister of changing his philosophy. Much of the thought in his speech, and some of the phrasing, came directly from his maiden Speech — on liberalism — in the House of Representatives in 1947. If that speech came before fts time in National Party

politics, the conference this week-end certainly responded to the idea that the kind of remits it would have passed five or six years ago would no longer suffice. Confidently looking for election victories in the seats for Pakuranga and Hamilton East, enthusiastically for Tasman, Marlborough, and Wairarapa, and hopefully for Lyttelton and Waifemata, the party membership appears to be anxious to discard some of its old hats. CHANGE OF STYLE Some delegates had been uneasy about the change of style, and of terminology. “Where does social awareness end and socialism begin?” asked one young member. Mr Marshall promised him an answer in his keynote address. The answer came, presumably, in the Prime Minister’s assertion of his belief in “the widespread ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange,” in “property-owning • democracy,” in "reform without revolution,” and in an attack on the Labour Party. "The Labour Party has its share of Socialists, radical Left-wingers, and militant trade unionists,” he said; and it would be an untrustworthy custodian of liberty, progress, property, and security. Saturday evening’s tributes to Sir Keith Holyoake, and his reply, turned out to be much more than a formal occasion for the party to express thanks to its former leader. Mr Marshall and the party’s president (Mr E. D. Holt) delivered the expectedly appreciative, and amusing, reviews of Sir Keith Holyoake’s contribution to the party and the Government; but It was the former Prime Minister himself who showed delegates that he was a continuing force in the party, while assuring them that they now had the leadership they needed. He, too, picked up the '•liberal” theme, yet emphasised that the party’s basic outlook had always been humanitarian — "with equal justice for all, equal opportunity for all. and privileges for none.” CHANGE WAS PLANNED The object of giving the party new leadership, a reconstructed Cabinet, and new policies had been in his mind in December, 1969, he said. "My plan and programme — revealed to the caucus 12 months ago — has been as great a success as I could have hoped for.” Long ago he had said that Mr Marshall would make a grand Prime Minister; he had said that Mr Muldoon was a

brilliant young man, in world class as a Finance Minister; and that Mr Taiboys, appointed number three in the Cabinet by Mr Marshall, was Prime Minister material and perhaps the most powerful debater in Parliament. All this, it must have seemed to the conference delegates, went to show that they were still enjoying the results of the Holyoake leadership and planning. Then, in a brief review of election prospects. Sir Keith Holyoake was once again delivering the conference’s customary, Saturday-night con-ference-rousing speech, and telling delegates that the Labour Party’s greatest handicap was now its partnership with the Federation of Labour.