APPEAL TO RETAIN FREE SPEECH

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 15

APPEAL TO RETAIN FREE SPEECH

Foundation Of Democracy

MRS. BODKIN’S ADDRESS

TO WOMEN

Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, July 8. “Freedom of speech is a mainstay of democracy; the right to criticise is the most precious thing we have to. safeguard us from tyranny and corruption, and I plead to the women of New Zealand to do all they can to retain that right,” said Mrs. AV. A. Bodkin, wife of the M.P. for Central Otago, at the conclusion of an address to-day to the Palmerston North women’s section of the National Party. She was given a warm reception and except for occasional outbursts of applause her speech was uninterrupted. Mrs. AV. F. Field, president of the section, who presided, moved a vote of thanks to the speaker which was carried with acclamation.

Mrs. Bodkin said the responsibility on the individual under democracy was greater than that in the Socialistic State. The best type of democratic State was the British Constitution, which contained the foundation principle of democracy-— the right for every individual to express himself by free speech—without which no democracy could exist. Three great examples of Socialistic countries were Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, where the whole success of the Governments lay in the suppression of minority opinion. “Freedom of speech to-day is of three kinds. Press, radio and public assembly,”, said Mrs. Bodkin, “but these in a totalitarian State must be controlled by the Government. The tendency in the Dominion to-day is becoming evident —the moving away from democracy to the Sociaistic State. The first symptoms have expressed themselves in the checking of the freedom of speech, and every enactment of the Government since it took office is a step nearer Socialism and a step farther from democracy.” As this was election year there was a strong sensitiveness felt by the Labour Party when the word “Socialism” was applied to it, said Mrs. Bodkin. “They say we are raising the bogy of Socialism,” ■she said. “The Labour Party claims of Liberal descent and to be followers of Richard John Seddon, but he or his supporters never called themselves Socialists. The Labour Party were the opponents of Seddon and his party.” Mrs. Bodkin said the National Party was fighting the issue of whether Socialism or democracy must be the philosophy of the Government of New Zealand and quoted extracts from writings of prominent Labour Ministers and followers which she said were admissions of the Labour Party’s Socialistic policy. A democratic Government had never functioned .100 per cent., but though the Socialistic State might bring quicker results it would not be in the best interests of the people. The loss of benefits would be far greater than the advantages.