PROMISES IGNORED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 5, 6 July 1938, Page 6

PROMISES IGNORED

SIQ EXPLANATION GIVEN

Mr. S. G. Holland (National, Christchurch North) said it was true that i.ihg.Government had carried, out some !-of|tlje';promises.'. ; -<s ; n'\vrhich it had been returned to, •office, >but he- challenged aiiy'member;, of the Government to explam. how.'the promises involving a greater expenditure could have been redeemed 'if the "national income had remained at the 1931 level. No explanation' had been given regarding the promises that had been ignored. The cost of government had been substantially increased, and next year the amount required, including the cost of the social security proposals, would be something like £50,000,000. Where would the money come from in the event of a recession of overseas prices for exports? The Government members were peculiarly silent on that point, but the people had a right to an answer. It was abundantly clear that the Government intended to cloud the issues before the people in the coming elec- | tion, Mr. Holland continued, but it was safe to say that the issues had never been more clear. The question was: Was New Zealand to be converted into a Socialist State or was it to be developed by the tried and true system of private enterprise? Was the competitive system to- survive or was it to be replaced by a bureaucratic system under Ministerial dictatorship? CHANGE IN SENTIMENT. "There has been in this country from one end to the other, an enormous ■changeVin political sentiment during the past. twelve or eighteen months," Mr.. Holland declared. (Government dissent.) "There is' not one Government member who is not deeply concerned at the progress made by the National Party." Mr.-W; J. Poison (National, Stratford):, They have got the wind up. Mr. Holland: The issues axe too clear for the Government's convenience. Organised gangs of hooligans were tracking National speakers around the country in an attempt to prevent the! truth from being told, Mr. Holland claimed, and at the recent conference of the Labour Party the Minister of Education had appealed for those opposed to the party to be given a fair, hearing. The stage had been reached when Ministers were going around the country telling silly stories about themselves and blaming the Opposition for them.

A Government member: Why not tell the truth?

Mr. Holland said that several Ministers had already prophesied that it was going to be a dirty fight. Strangely enough, those allegations had been made before the National Farty started its campaign. No Government had the right to allow mistaken statements regarding unemployment or the Post Office Savings Bank -accounts to go without correction, and it came ill from Government speakers to talk about misrepresentation.