STATE TRADING AND PARTIES.

Evening Star, Issue 17766, 14 September 1921, Page 2

STATE TRADING AND PARTIES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Having read your report of the conference with local M.P.s under the above heading, I wa.s disappointed that the replies by the members were taken in private, this being agreed on at the beginning of the conference. Surely the time has arrived when these gentlemen should place before tho people their views on important questions. Your report of Mr Somerville's speech on “Government trading” places himself and two of our members in most peculiar positions. Mr Somerville is reported to have said that tho 'Chamber of C-ommerco had decided not only to protest against the supply of school books and stationery, but to oppose the whole system of Government trading, on the principle that tho Government was put into poyer to deal with national questions, whilst business men wore best able to manage their own business themselves. Mr Somerville is vice-president of th local District Council of the now Labor Parly, also another past president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. B. Waters) is treasurer of tho same bojly. Wo can assume they are men of stalling in tho new Labor Party, and Mr Somerville’s speech must be taken as representing the views of the business men connected with tie chamber.

Assuming Mr Somerville to have been correctly reported, I will leave it to him to explain to your man f v readers his action in supporting iho platform of tho National Labor Party, in which appears, following:—“State ownership: A Slat© Bank, with solo right of issue"; subclauso 2 of clause 5, which roads “Free school : oks ” : sub-clause, 4 of clause 2 “Midday meals for pupils at small cost,” The adoption of a Slate Bank would further extend the principle- of State trading. Mr Statham and Mr Kellett may perhap inform tho audience on Friday evening as to what their views are, ana why such gentlemen arc on their local council. There certainly appears a great amount of inconsistency amongst these gentlemen. In conclusion, I may bo permitted to inform Hie various M.P.s that the people require to know their views, and too much privacy will spell their downfall.—l am, etc,, C. M. Moss. Sontembcr 13.