APPEAL TO GUARD DEMOCRACY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 55, 29 November 1937, Page 12

APPEAL TO GUARD DEMOCRACY

Need For Organisation

NATIONAL PARTY LEADERS

AT FEATHERSTON

Dominion Special Service.

Featherston, November 27.

A large number of people who attended a garden party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. D. H. S. Riddiford, “Longwood,” Featherston, to-day, heard addresses by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Adam Hamilton, and the president of the New Zealand National Party, Mr. C. H. Weston, whose observations on the aims and ideals of the National Party were enthusiastically applauded. There were many present from all parts of the Wairarapa and Wellington, and a representative attendance of the party’s executive and members. It was gratifying to see so many there, said Mr. Riddiford, in extending a welcome, and in particular would he like to say how pleased they all were to see the Hon. A. D. McLeod, who was out of politics now, but who had given years of good service not only to Wairarapa, which he had represented, but also to New Zealand as a whole. _,

Mr. Weston said it was to be his privilege to introduce the Leader of the National Party, Hon. Adam Hamilton, but before doing so he would like to apologise for the absence of Mr. Cheviot Bell, the new chairman of the Wellington division, in which the Wairarapa electorate was situated. Mr. Bell, who had been detained in 'Wellington on business arranged some time ago, had entered on his new task with a great deal of enthusiasm and energy 7, and in the near future intended to visit the various electorates. After thanking Mr. and Mrs. Riddiford for allowing the use of their beautiful grounds, Mr. Weston appealed to those who had the interests of the country at heart to join the National Party. The payment of a small fee, he said, gave them the privilege of voting for the party candidates, which was of the greatest importance because the candidates could feel then that they had behind them the solid opinion of the electorate they were to represent. Mr. Weston urged that there should be no delay, for Mr. Hamilton was anxious to have the candidates in the field in the next two or three months. Wise and Steadfast Leader. They were very fortunate, he continued, in having a leader who was wise and steadfast, w’hose judgment could be relied on, and whose honesty and sincerity were a hallmark of the party itself. (Applause.) He had been working with Mr. Hamilton for more than a year. He w 7 as a good boss for the Parliamentary party, and he would be a good boss for New Zealand when he became Prime Minister. (Applause ) The National Party was a democratic party, not a party for one particular class, but for everyone in New Zealand, and Mr. Hamilton would deal with

them all alike when he became Prime Minister. “I want to thank Mr. Weston for his very kind expressions toward me and the" work we are doing, and I also want to give a word of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Riddiford for making their beautiful grounds available to us to-day,” said Mr. Hamilton, who was greeted with cheers. The setting was a very welcome change to the atmosphere and scenery to which those in Parliament were used. Mr. Hamilton said he was grateful to the people for attending, and he hoped he had not kept them from their work. However, the occasion was worth while, for there was a serious task in front of them. He referred to the beautiful country in which they lived and said that many of them were forgetting what it was like when their parents came out. The rising generation might think it was always like this, but that was not so. New Zealand, he said, had come through the years wonderfully well. It enjoyed the highest standard of living in the world, and never had people more reason to enjoy life than those in New Zealand. However, they had come to a rather serious aspect in government. If they did not rise to the occasion the heritage they had gained might slip through their hands. “Situation Calls for Action.”

“We have maintained a form of government here that was worthy of our country, and once if did not matter much which party was in power, but to-day it does matter,” Mr. Hamilton said. “We have come to a situation that calls us to action. The ease and comfort we have enjoyed over years of prosperity and our fine standard of living have lulled us into a sense of security, but the position is not secure, and we should bestir ourselves and put up a fight for our country.” They were there to discuss good government of their country and there was no greater subject they could discuss said Mr. Hamilton, remarking that he was afraid people were not fully aware of the importance and dangers of the political situation. Unless tney took action they would be failing in their duty. They were living in a dem -cratic world and it was up to them to see that they continued with the democratic system and did not allow it io slip and perhaps see a dictatorship come along. Every man and every woman who had a vote had to be interested None of them could be indifferent. New Zealand, he continued, had been built up by the thrift and industry of the people, which were an example to the world. Their interest and happiness had been in their work and in the development of the country, and, after all, was there anything that brought happiness more than a good day’s work? To-day, however, they were apt to emphasise idleness and spending rather than industry and thrift. They were more interested in spending their wealth than creating and producing it. “We want to see that our system gives the best available to all the people, and we don’t want to see the very wealthy and the very poor,” said Mr. Hamilton, adding that there were very few countries in which wealth was more evenly distributed. The present Government had come into office in very fortunate circumstances, and to-day they might not be seen in their true light. There was an abundance of money when they arrived, and they were inclined to take the credit for it However, it had to be realised that it was necessary for other Governments to think out the problems and pave the way for the prosperity they were now enjoying. Prosperity was not created by thus Government, but by others that had come before it. Piling up Commitments.

The Labour Government, he said, was piling up commitments that would be very difficult to carry in the days to come, and if the price-level fell the country might find itself in a more difficult situation than on the last occasion. It was also setting out to regiment society and make the people inarch to orders. That was not what British people—liberty-loving people—were accustomed to. “We want to give the utmost freedom to the people and as much liberty as possible so long as they do their duty to their neighbours and to the State,” he said. After touching on the attacks that had been made on the capitalistic system, Mr. Hamilton said they had to watch that people who were industrious and thrifty did not have to carry too big a load for idle people who were leaning on society and not pulling their weight. At present they were making it easy for the thriftless to enjoy life and difficult for the man who worked hard to preserve something for bis wife and family. It was necessary that reform should come from the reformation of human nature as well as from the economic system which they were always eager to improve. The message the churches were giving out to-day wtfs what they should take up, for they had to keep the right balance between the material and the spiritual aspect of life. The drift of population from the country to the cities was referred to by Mr. Hamilton, who said they had to ensure that those who performed useful work —those in the farming industry—were on the same economic footing as the rest of the community. Country life had to be made attractive, and lie thought there was something wrong with the make-up of a man or woman who was not attracted and inspired by nature a 6 they saw it that day. Example From Old Land. After saying the capitalistic system worked well, Mr. Hamilton remarked that one of the jobs was to remove evils and those tilings which caused the people to lie grieved. They believed in democracy and I lie rule of the people, and, if they .wanted an example of how to handle their country, they could do no better than watch the Old Land, which returned to Conservative government when difficulties arose. New Zealand was the last of the British countries to experience a Labour Government. Britain had had her experience. As Labour had been in office during ir term of prosperity it was difficult to make comparisons with the country under Labour rule and under a different form of government, but a wonderful heritage had been handed down to New Zealand, and if they were not careful it would slip, and when the history of this Dominion was being written there might be ec black mark against the people of to-day. "Lot us organise, so that there will not lie tiie mix-up that we had last time,” urged Mr. Hamilton. "We have to win these seats back, and we ought to have 2000 members in each electorate. not for their half-crowns, but for their moral support. "I wish you well in this electorate. I believe you will win it.” He remarked that there might be an election in May or June, op it might be in November.

“The present situation is mighty serious in New Zealand. Make no mistake about that,” he said. "If this Government is returned we will not enjoy our freedom and the economic system we have to-day. lam not saying that for political purposes. If we are going to retain our place among the British people we will have to rise to the occasion and see that this country does not slip back, but wins through. If we pull our weight we will win all right and keep New Zealand the gem of the British Empire.” On the mol ion of Mr. C. .T. Nix, chairman of the Eeathcrston branch of the National Party, Mr. Hamilton was heartily thanked.