HINT OF WINDOW-DRESSING

Evening Post, Issue 50, 27 August 1935, Page 10

HINT OF WINDOW-DRESSING

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The "Star" in the course of its leader on the Democrat Party says:—

'"fhe official programme of the New Democrat Party is material for policy rather than-a policy itself, and its reserwblance ■to • window-dressing will be fecognised by students of the political game; ■ • Promises are well to the fore and difficulties are discreetly hidden. If the'people of this country believe that the Democrat Party can fulfil its promises, -it will, put the party into | office,, but voters, are distressingly sceptical, and many of them may reflect that in this depression no Government in the world has been able to set the whole of a nation's machinery working again. If the party believes it can succeed where no other party anywhere has succeeded surely it is its patriotic duty to divulge its secret.

'■"There are one or two attractive proposals. The reform of local government is long overdue and the failure of the Government to redeem Us promises in. this respect is deplorable. Parliamentary reform is another promising field of activity, but the social, schemes that the party puts forward' under the heading of "Public Health and Welfare" are already in the mind of the Government, as the Prime Minister indicated in his Rangiora address last night. • ■

"In their deader the Democrats have made an interesting choice. Mr. Hislop is a comparatively young man with' an excellent record in municipal government, and it is in the public interest that, he should move on to the larger-sphere. It is a pity that*his fortunes are joined with those of a party which has so little that is definite, to contribute to political exploration, but which may seriously complicate the exercise- of the people's choice."