General Election

Press, 2 December 1978, Page 12

General Election

Sir, — With regard to opinions expressed by your correspondent,. John J. Forster (November 29), I wish to say that my husband and I, relatives and friends had voted for Labour and National as their promises appealed to us. However, three el-’ctions ago, tired of broken promises by both parties, we all decided to give Social Credit a “go.” We did not understand their monetary policy, but had heard that it was the same policy as that of Michael Savage’s first Labour Party, which was so successful in the 30s. We have voted Social Credit ever since. The question I would like to ask is: Would we still be called “swinging voters” “antivoters,” or “wild voters”? —- Yours, etc.,

M. YEATMAN. November 29, 1978.

Sir, — Your correspondent, V. F. Wilkinson (November 29) displays an amazing ignorance of both political history and political parties. Proportional voting, to be really effective, requires a certain percentage of the votes to make a party eligible to put a member in the House, say five per cent, although some European governments are stable with less. Norway, with proportional representation, has returned the same party for 40 years. “Labour’s idealism” and “National’s realistic efficiency” have combined to bring this country into the social and economic situation that we are in today, with everyone crying out for more purchasing power while our overseas debt is such that a large part of our earnings have to be used to pay the interest on it. In 1935 the “splinter” Labour Party went into power on almost precisely the monetary policy of Social Credit, the result of which brought this country out of the Depression five years before any other. — Yours, etc.,

JOHN J. FORSTER November 29, 1978.

Sir, — It appears that V. F. Wilkinson and Mr Rowling must have short memories about how simple Social Credit is to work. The first Labour Government under Michael Savage used it, and Sir Thomas Skinner has repeatedly asked for reintroduction of these policies. Surely people held in such high esteem should have been listened to. Money is created today with Government permission by our trading banks. Our Government then borrows it back at up to II per cent interest. With Social Credit the money would be created by the Reserve Bank, again

with Government permission, the Government and local bodies would obtain theirs at cost or 1 per cent, while the remainder would go to the trading banks for distribution, as now. With money at this price, our Drainage Board might be able to fix the Heathcote River and relieve the Richardson Terrace residents of their floodings. — Yours, etc.,

R. M. GYDE. November 29, 1978.