NEW ZEALAND WELFARE LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 18140, 2 December 1922, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND WELFARE LEAGUE

TO THE ELECTORS OF NEW ZEALAND. Tho T/eague desires to point out to you that it is not, only the dirty but it is lo the advantage of every man and, woman that they should take an interest, in the governance of the country, and particularly in the class of member you Bend to Parliament. For this reason it is essential that you should -carefully consider the grave problems of the day, freed from party or sectional bias, and the Welfare League ventures to place before yon certain aspects of tire present political position from a national point of view. THE AT. AIN ISSUE. Speaking broadly, the alternatives before the.country are: On tho one hand, sound, progressive government, recognising the rights of the individual; and on the other, Socialistic Communism, aiming at the abolition of individual property and righto, and controlling every activity. The Reform and Liberal Parties stand tor the first and the so-called “Labor” Party for tho latter - . Do not, make any mistake about this aspect of the present elections, and do not allow artificial party divisions, specious manifestos, and other electioneering devices to cloud- the .real issues at stake. WHAT TEE COUNTRY NEEDS. Tiro Great War haa boon followed by wo rid-wide difficulties. These can only be solved by good government and sound! statesmanship; no quack remedies will meet the case. At the coming elections you are offered two alternative remedies. The Reform and Liberal Parties propose to build up and strengthen, in the interests of all, tho shattered- fabric of our institutions by constructive measures; while the Red) Party advocates the tearing down, in one act, *of the whole social and political structure* which has taken .centuries to build, and to substitute in its _ place a nebtrlorrs-made -abomination, which past and present history has proved to be disastrous to everyone outside a few soilinterested, leaders.

The country needs stability and an Importunity to work out its own salvation, with all classes co-operating in tire national interest. The Rod Party offers class warfare, which means ruin to all. TRADE AND INDUSTRY. The prosperity of the country benefits the ■whole population, and that prosperity can only be realised- by allowing trade, commerce, and industry to Ire carried on without tbs handdoan of artificial regulations or compulsory controls. Any legislation which tends to interfere with the natural laws of supply and demand must, as a general rule, result in curtailing the enterprise on which our prosperity depends. New Zealand requires less Government interference and less restrictive legislation. For these reasons the League protests against the londiency of both. Reform and Liberal Parties, in Parliament and in their manifestos, to extend Government activities and to continue restrictive legislation, but wo ask you to realise that the Red Party's objective is to absolutely abolish individual efforts and to “socialise” the whole of the country’s trade, industry, commerce, and production. The lesson of history is that there is no form of government so tyrannical as a bureaucracy, and the Red l Party aims at the bureaucracy of the worst type. TAXATION AND 'EXPENDITURE. Nothing kills enterprise more than heavy taxation, which also injures the wageearner and causes unemployment. in order to expand trade and enlarge our industries it is essential that a substantial proportion of each year’s income should he capitalised and 1 put back into the business. This process increases employment, and by greater production lessens tbo cost of the product. Th Government now takes so largo a proportion of income by way of taxation that there is nothing left to put back into industry for expansion. The result, if this state of things continues, must bo stagnation,- and unemployment. The only remedy for this evil is further drastic reduction of public expenditure on sound lines, and we call on you to satisfy yourself that the candidate you vote for will support a policy of overhauling our public expenditure and placing it on a business footing, and a speedy curtailment of borrowing, except for necessary public works that will be interest-earning. A little has been clone in this direction, both Reform and Liberal manifestos containing somewhat vague general promises of more; but tho Red Party's manifesto makes extravagant promises whicTl must entail extra expenditure and must largely increase taxation, and indicates no suggestion of economy, which is the crux of the position. OUR APPEAL. For these reasons we ask you to rote tor the best man, independent of party considerations! and. above all, VOTE SO THAT YOUR VOTE WILL TELL EFFECTIVELY AGAINST EVERY CANDIDATE WHO IS PLEDGED TO SUPPORT THE DESTRUCTIVE POLICY OF COMMUNISM, which means the end of individual liberty of action. For the National Executive, C. P. SKERRETT, l*rc.s id-cut, ARTHUR Pi HARPER, Secretary. Wellington, 14th November, 1922. —[Advt.]