THE ELECTION ISSUE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 95, 19 October 1931, Page 6

THE ELECTION ISSUE

<To the Editor.)

Sir, —"Another Citizen",* in criticising my letter which appeared in your journal on Friday last, flies off at a tangent. In my view there is no analogy between the political conditions in Britain and this Dominion. It will be remembered that the political crisis at Home developed rapdly after the presentation of the May report, in which it was clearly shown that the Socialist Government was rushing the country into ruin. And it was a minority Government. The May report could not be ignored; something had to be done, and done quickly. The outcome was a National Government, that is a Government composed of all three parties, and it must ever be a credit to the leaders of both the Conservatives and the Liberals that they were able to rise above party, and devote themselves to the country. The Socialists bolted. They could not face the consequences of the May report, and drew a red 'herring across the scent in blaming bankers for Britain's troubles.

In the Dominion we have to-day a Coalition and not a National Government. The Coalition Government is the outcome of the voluminous evidence heard by the Inter-Party Committee concerning the very serious economic position of the Dominion. The Socialist Party under the leadership of Mr. H. E. Holland could not, and would not, have joined in forming a National Government because they are in chains which, are held by the Parliamentary Labour Committee, or some such name.

The National Government in England passed certain legislation, and knowing that while danger had been averted the crisis has not yet passed, they as a National Government, have appealed to the people for a mandate to meet any further dangers that may crop up in the way the Government may think fit., There is no policy before the people. The National Government is asking for a blank cheque, and that request looks more like a gesture to convince the world that Britain is determined to maintain solidarity and sound finance. \ ■

The position, is different in New Zealand. We have not a National Government, but a Coalition Government, and that Government has the- confidence of the majority of the electors. The Coalition Governmeut must be given time to, not only formulate its policy, but also to carry it out. Economic conditions are changing rapidly, and what to-day appears to be a reasonable remedial policy may be found next month to be totally inadequate. There is a great-gulf between the Budget presented to Parliament by Mr. Forbes and that presented by Mr. W. Downie Stewart, and yet the interval between the presentation of the two Budgets was about two months.

"Another- Citizen" appears to be much concerned about my idea of British justice. I may say that I have a profound and unshakable, belief and faith in British justice, but I have the raost profound contempt for. Socialist justice. The Socialists as a party cannot be just to the people as a whole, for their concern is for the party and not for the' country. Because Parliament was elected for a term some people think, and the Socialists in particular, that it would be a breach of faith; to prolong the life of Parliament. Mortgages are invariably for fixed terms, but Parliament did \not hesitate to pass the Mortgage Extension Act. Parliament has on certain occasions raised the salaries of members of Parliament without any mandate from the people. I say again that if the Coalition' Government yielded to the clamour ■= of place hunting and power seeking Socialists, and decided'on an election during.the next eight weeks, it would be guilty of betraying the country. Let us bear in: mind the actions of the Langs, Scullins, Theodores, and Hogans of Australia. The New Zealand Socialist is no different from them.— I am, etc.,

A CITIZEN.