National Party policy

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 18

National Party policy

Sir, — Jill Lowe is obviously a member of the “blind them with science school.” Her condemnation of the Labour Party (June 9) where she quotes percentages ad infinitum is

such an obvious imitation of our Minister of Finance I wonder that she bothered. If all the items quoted automatically constituted a fundamental reason for 42| per cent on electricity charges, the slapped-on prices of bread, milk, sugar, butter, petrol, one could allow for over-enthusiasm. The present Government has been in power for three years and a half and in spite of, — “I will cure our economic ills” then “New Zealand as you want it” our overseas debts, as with our internal deficit, are still at record levels, while indiscriminate taxation of individual initiative and enterprise, plus record unemployment and high cost of living, give impetus to a record number of skilled New Zealanders voting with their feet. — Yours, etc., ARTHUR MAY, June 9, 1979.

Sir, — Jill Lowe jokes (June 9) that I apparently believe in fairies at the bottom of the garden, which is amusing, but not as naive as her obvious faith in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in Wellington. The main thrust of my argument is ignored by your correspondent, and her statements about past inflation and house and section cost increases under Labour are just a rehash of the tired old propaganda which backfired on National in November, 1978. At least there were plenty of young people wanting houses and land then, and they could obtain loans for half the interest rate now demanded. A great many of them have now fled overseas, and I do not blame them. The 1972-75 Labour Government coped with a fourfold oil price increase, a 40 per cent drop in our export earnings ana an 80 per cent jump in import costs. National has faced nothing even remotely comparable. — Yours, etc.,

M. T. MOORE. June 10, 1979.