CALL FOR UNITY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 153, 25 March 1937, Page 13

CALL FOR UNITY

One Opposition Party Advocated MERGER OF INTERESTS # Nationalist Leader’s Appeal The necessity for the National Party contesting the next general election as a united Opposition comprising all interests not in favour of the policy of the Labour Government was emphasised by the Leader of tlie Opposition, Hon. Adam Hamilton, in an address to Wellington professional and business men yesterday. He said Ills aim was to bind together into one organisation the business community in the citiesand the people in the -country districts, for the welfare of both was interwoven. Mr. Hamilton was accorded an enthusiastic reception, and at the conclusion of his address a resolution was carried expressing confidence in him as Leader of the National Party. The president of the New Zealand National Party, Mr. C. H. Weston, K.C., presided over an attendance of approximately 200. He expressed the hope that after December, 1938, Mr. Hamilton would be no longer Leader of the Opposition, but Prime Minister of New Zealand. If that hope were not fulfilled one could not help thinking that this country would be in a sorry state. Much progress had been made by the National Party, and it now had a framework extending from North Cape to the Bluff. One of its greatest achievements to date was the selection of Mr. Hamilton as leader. Every day the party was receiving more and more encouragement. The party’s aim was to make the organisation a permanent one. Mr. Hamilton, who was greeted with applause, said it was important that a fairly keen interest should be taken in the public life of this country. He had just returned from a tour of the Auckland province and everywhere he had been he had had a wonderfully friendly aud favourable reception. Everywhere he had found a mighty keen interest being taken in politics. Indeed, never in his political life had he seen such interest in polities so far away from an election.

Time for Action.

It was wise, he thought, for those who had lost the verdict to lie low for a period, but be thought the time had now come when the members of the party should bestir themselves and get their organisation ready and have things so arranged as to make it possible at the next election to obtain a correct register of the public’s opinion. He was inclined to think that though the verdict went against the National Party at the last election it was not altogether a vote for Labour. Rathei there was a desire for a change and Labour won on that account. The importance of the business of government and the necessity for the management of the country’s affairs being entrusted to men of experience was stressed by Mr. Hamilton. The government of the country, he said, was the most important business in New Zealand. The revenue and expenditure of the national accounts alone involved the handling of £30,000.000. Mr. Hamilton spoke of the need for a united party of all those in a different frame of mind to the present Labour Government. To accomplish that, be said, was not by any means easy. The National Party had to endeavour to bind the Reform, Liberal. Democrat and Country Parties as well as Independents. Where was there a body of opinion better able to govern New Zealand than the people represented at the meeting that day? Where was there a more responsible body of opinion? Were those there that day represented in Parliament and had they a voice in the House of Representatives? The National side of politics had only two city representatives, one from Auckland and one from Christchurch. The. voice of those present that day was hardly registered m the writing of the laws. Business men were apt to shy clear of politics, but politics was too serious to be neglected.

"I think you will have to get into politics a bit more than in the past, said Mr. Hamilton. “You will have to take a more prominent part n your voice in going to be heard, we have to see that our side is represented, and that we do our public duty while we have the opportunity to do it. We have to learn to be a little bit more tolerant toward each other’s 'point of view so that we can get together. "We as British people think democracy is the best form of government one man one vote. We don’t want a dictator. The alternative to democracy is Fascism or Communism, and a Communist dictator ma’ not be so far away. We have to see that the responsible vote is organised and that it is effective. I think this country has been governed fairly wisely in the past, progressive as the times demanded, but a reasonably sound course has been followed. To-day we are living for the day and spending our income right up to the hilt. ‘‘We have to educate public opinion that we are setting out to weld together under one united opposition all the parties not in favour of the. Government. . . . This country is not big enough for us to hive off into sections. The interests of one section are wrapped up with the other. The two-party system, a Government and an Opposition, best meets the requirements of New Zealand. If we did not have an Opposition it might weaken Parliamentary government. The trouble occurs when there is a split into more than two parties. That was the trouble last election. The situation to-day demands a line-up in two groups and no more. There are only two lobbies in the House and generally two main divisions of political thought in any country.” Party’s New Constitution. Reference was made by Mr. Hamilton to the new constitution of the party. More power, he said, had been placed in the hands of the supporters of the party, and the party wanted their help in formulating a policy. Mr. Hamilton said he had heard some members in the House express the view that the capitalistic system was all wrong. Labour thrived on the evils of the existing system. It was the duty of the National Party to remove these evils rather than allow them to be capitalised and used to overthrow the system.

“We have to realise that the rural seats are mighty important to our party,” said Mr. Hamilton. “To-day we hold two city seats and we will have some more next election. Don’t let us

be disheartened as to the future. Twenty-four of the present Government members are minority members, and if we get a united Opposition we can beat them. The rural seats dominate the position, and if you wau’t to win you must give a place to the farmer. In framing a policy you must have the farmer in mind, and I have said to the farmer that he must give a place to the business man.

“Does Labour represent the most responsible and the best qualified people to rule this country?” asked Mr. Hamilton. “The voice that gave them office is not the voice of the most responsible section of the community. If Labour is the best qualified to manage why were they not asked to manage some New Zealand businesses. The best school in which to qualify to rule New Zealand is to run a business of one’s own, not a school of union secretaries.” Standard of Living. They had a public duty to the rising generation to see that the country was kept on a safe course, and that its people were able to enjoy a standard of living and prosperity available in the past. As business men they had a lot at stake. The standard of living enjoyed to-day was the best in the world, and it had not been built up by Labour Governments. The Labour Government saw nothing good in the present order of things, and yet New Zealand enjoyed that standard of living. Referring to State ownership, Mr. Hamilton said there were some services of a national monopoly and licensed type, such as tlie Post Office, which could be owned and controlled by the State with advantage. The State, however, should keep out of competitive business because it could be better managed by private enterprise. The Labour Government had had more industrial disputes during the past 15 months than there had been for many years in the immediate past. “We are setting out on a big fight, but we will win on the goodwill of the people of New Zealand,” concluded Mr. Hamilton. “We must build up on the confidence, liberty and security of our people.” The following resolution, which was moved by Mr. H. Wilton and seconded by Mr. L. T. Dwan, was carried unanimously amid applause: “That this meeting of business men in Wellington thanks the Hon. Mr. Hamilton for his inspiring address and expresses its entire confidence in him as leader of the National Party.”