EVE OF THE POLL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1943, Page 6

EVE OF THE POLL

Today, the eve of the Gene] issued their final messages to the e^

THE PRIME MINISTER, RT. HON. P FRASER:—

"There are many reasons why the Labour Government should be retained in administrative control of New Zealand, but there are three in particular which make Labour's victory at the General Election poll on Saturday thrice assured.

"First of these reasons is the vital part the Government, with the full co-operation of the people, has played in developing and maintaining New Zealand's magnificent war effort. "Second, the Government's record of legislation and administration which before and during this war established and held a standard of prosperity and social security enabling the nation to wage war with vigour, efficiency, and unsurpassed success. "Third, the pledge of the Government and the Labour Party to make the post-war future of New Zealand better than even the best of the past, to rehabilitate all ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen back to the highest possible standard of civilian life, and to give the whole community absolute security against slumps and ruinous economic depression. "These are plain, honest words epitomising the Labour Government's deeds in peace and war. "The policy of the Labour Government and party is free of pretence. We leave other parties to traffick in shams, and peddle shoddy political wares. All that we have done and vow to do are part and parcel of the basic principles for which the New Zealand Labour Movement has always fought—the principles that are embodied in the Atlantic Charter of the United Nations as the foundation of a new world order.

"Let the electors anywhere consider the counterfeit programme of the Nationalist Party. It now proffers a fuller cupboard than the one it depleted when it was in office, but if the door be opened in the clear light of experience there will be revealed the grisly skeleton of Nationalist depression.

"It is not necessary here for me to recount the legislation and administrative achievements of the Labour Government during the past eight eventful years. The people,, both old and young, are enjoying to an incomparable degree the fruits of Labour's policy of making everyday life happy for the many, and not merely for the •privileged few as was always the case under the Nationalists. "There has been a great deal of talk by the'anti-Labour forces-in this election campaign about the necessity for j restoring the old forms of freedom. The Nationalists want freedom for predatory vested interests which simply means freedom to grab the highest possible profits from industry, trade, and financial investments, and the right to grind the faces of the poor. "The answer to that preposterous policy is this: Labour stands or falls by the real and true freedom which means freedom from want, freedom from exploitation, and freedom from the fear of slumps and depressions. "I confidently ask for the support and authority of the people of New Zealand to enable the Government:— (1) To direct and carry on New Zealand's 100 per cent, war effort until victory is won. (2) To proceed with a complete scheme for the rehabilitation of our servicemen. (3) To maintain the high standard of living of our people, including Social Security, during the war so that further progress in Social Justice can be made in the post-war period. "As Leader of the Labour Government and the Labour Party, I face the issue of the election poll with the utmost confidence." MR. S. G. HOLLAND, LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY:— "On Saturday the people of New Zealand will have the responsibility of choosing their Government for the next three years. The responsibility should" be exercised with a sense of duty, and with the knowledge that important issues are in the balance, Upon the result of the voting may depend ,in large measure, the way of life of New Zealanders for many years to come.

"The privilege of being a citizen of a democracy demands that every elector cast his vote. I therefore urge that, whatever his political opinions may be, every voter should go to the poll, so that the result may truly reflect political opinion in the Dominion. "We should remember that if it had not been for the valour of our fighting men, we would not be in a position to exercise the privilege of voting at a General Election. We therefore owe it to our fighting men to vote wisely. In the coming years their interests will demand in the Government men of ability; qualified first to direct our war effort towards victory, and, secondly, to grapple with the immense problems of reconstruction and the transition from a war to a peace economy. "The issue before the electors is clear. The contest lies between the two major parties, National and Labour. The National Party stands for the largest possible measure of freedom for the individual citizen, while the Labour Party- sta.ids for absolute State control and domination. On the one hand, we offer an end to red tape and regimentation, and scope for initiative, energy, and ambition. The Government, on the other hand, merely offers increasing instalments of the socialistic controls with which it has surrounded the lives of New Zealanders during the past eight years. "In this campaign the National Party has presented a progressive non-sectional policy planned solely to bring about a better and happier New Zealand. The Government, however, has relied on the past, but the people today want to look forward, not back. "After eight years of Labour administration, a swelling volume of disapproval of the Government is reported from every quarter of the Dominion. The National Party does not promise something for nothing, but it does promise better government in the interests of the people as a whole. Every plank of our policy has been studied with the greatest care. We have the plans, the will, and among

LEADERS' FINAL MESSAGES

pal Election, party leaders have lectors. They are as follows:—

our candidates, the character, ability, and experience to implement our proposals. These will ensure justice for all. Their aim is to promote prosperity and contentment. Even our opponents have found nothing to attack in our policy, and the absence of criticism must be accepted as an endorsement of its merits. We leave the decision to the good judgment of the people, and will accept their verdict." THE LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOLDIER LABOUR PARTY, MR. J. A. LEE:— "On one day in three years—indeed, sometimes on only one day in five years—is* the elector given opportunity of passing judgment upon Parliament. Two verdicts are given—one for, one against. We live in times wherein new men and methods only are capable of finding solution to the great problems of this age. Some folk look backward, hanker after a return to the days of 1914 before war, the locomotive of history, started to speed up mechanical and chemical development and make possible an age of leisure, culture, plenty, when we mobilise for the arts of peace as we now mobilise for the arts of war.

\ "The National Party has its aspirations in yesterday, the Labour Party, which once possessed a transforming zeal, is now only a tired group of paid caretakers of the status quo. Neither of these parties has any solution for the problems of the morrow. They do not face squarely the problem of rebuilding New Zealand on the basis of human welfare, they lack comprehension of the 18s and 19s taxation in perpetuity which our present debts will bequeath to posterity, thus ending all hope of a new social order unless a new credit technique enables us to base welfare on what is physically possible and not on what is desirable to maintain an outmoded money and credit policy. As for the Independents, it is at once obvious that they cannot win a new order but only build a Tower of Babel. "Democratic Soldier Labour will face the problem of winning a credit and currency technique which will make financially possible that measure of nation-building and standard of welfare that is physically possible. We would build housing, new industries, engage in land development with credit supplied at nominal rates. We are determined to ensure a substantial income for motherhood. "Nationalist and Labour do not face tomorrow's problems. They avoid todays. The Labour Party justifies its excessive man-power commitments; Mr. Holland dissents, but in evasive terms. No one knows which division he intends to maintain, though at Christchurch East by-election he was against the return of the Middle East division. Democratic Soldier Labour is straightforward. We would not send New Zealanders on to Europe.

"It is three weeks since there was a Democratic Soldier Labour broadcast. In the interim I have talked to immense audiences everywhere. Whom the Fraser-Labour Party fear, they exclude from the microphone. May we ask all electors to disregard abuse and fear, and vote for their faith, as New Zealanders die for faith and not for fear on the battlefield."

FLYING OFFICER CLIVE DRUMMOND, FOR THE INDEPENDENT GROUP:—

"On behalf of my colleagues in the Independent Group, I urge electors everywhere to support the Independent candidates. There are sufficient Independents of the right type standing to form a Government with a substantial majority — a Government pledged only to serve the people, free of outside dictation, and one in which members would introduce and freely debate measures purely on their worth. . "How necessary and urgent this has become can be seen from the following pledges wihch are signed by party candidates: — "Labour Party Pledge: 'I will faithfully uphold and wholeheartedly work for the objective and platform of the party, and no other, in accordance with the decisions which may from time to time be made pursuant to this Constitution.' "National Party Pledge: 'I declare that I will abide by the rules and con-., stitution of the New Zealand National Party, and that I will be loyal to its organisation and chosen leader.

"There is no difference between these pledges. Members of both the Labour and National Parties are inescapably tied by these pledges, and their party constitutions, to obey the dictates of organisations outside of Parliament. That is why these organisations pour out tens and even hundreds of thousands of pounds to publicise and support the parties. They want this control for their own selfish purposes—to grab money and power and to smash the opposing interests. "They have accordingly carried their party warfare into everything, embroiling all the people, with the result that we have liad poverty, social and economic injustices, industrial unrest and fear, and a constant struggle between costs and income. Good government is impossible under party rule as practised in this country. "We urge you to smash this system. We urge you to vote for your own freedom by supporting all Independent candidates. We ask all electors to roll up their sleeves and help us to get on with the job—for New Zealand and New Zealanders, and not for secret interests or party bosses. "Our national reconstruction plan, complete in all details, including methods of finance, our policy for stabilising living standards, our determination to set things ;-ight in this country by the adoption of commonsense measures, our plans for co-opera-tive effort towards progress, are the only genuine measures of practical worth now before the' electors. We have made no promises—we have presented a plan complete in every detail. It has been worked out by committees of experienced men all over the Dominion. "We urge all electors to help us remove outside control of Parliament. We ask for your support for all Independent candidates."