POLITICAL LEADERS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 8

POLITICAL LEADERS

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—"Native Born" tells us it would be quite in order for Mr. Forbes to take the advice of the men who control our marketing and arrange the raising of our loans, because they know, more about world finance than Mr. Forbes does. Does he suggest they have not their own interests outside New Zealand, and as he admits they know more about finance than Mr. Forbes does, what guarantee have we that New Zealand's^ interests are being safeguarded? As regards members of Parliament born outside New Zealand it is quite clear and desirable that New Zealand should have the best brains procurable to control the affairs of the country, irrespective of being born inside or outside of New Zealand, providing they are British. In my previous letter I stated that Sir Robert Stout, R. Seddon, W. F. Massey, and Sir Joseph Ward were men born outside of New Zealand," but who. had the interests of New Zealand . at heart. "Native Born" states that it was necessary for them to be born outside of New Zealand. I fail to see why it was necessary; I fail to see why, all things being equal, New Zealand born men could not have held those positions. Very likely, "Native Born" will tell us he did not mean that. In fact as each one of his points is knocked out he tells us that was not what he meant. He starts off by telling us he did not meant to refer,to men born outside of New Zealand as outsiders, although that is what he wrote, and then, again, in a postscript; he tells us he did not mean something else. It is difficult to know what, he does mean. "Native Born" in his statements, is about as reliable as the Government whoa* cause he sponsors. Obviously they did not mean the things they promised,-and what they said at the last General Election/—I am, etc., P. D. TAIT.