DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Evening Star, Issue 20853, 24 July 1931, Page 12

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ADDRESSES BY HR D. HIHNOCK AND MRS G. PAGE * Having as its motto "There is no weal but the commonweal,” the National Democratic Party of New Zealand launched its political policy in the Concert Chamber of tho* Town Hall last night. As each person entered the hall ho o:r she was presented with a leaflet, on which was printed ‘wo verses of ‘God Defend New Zealand.’ Mr John M'Donald was in the chair, and tho speakers of the evening wore Mr D. Minnock and Mrs G., Page. Tho meeting opened with tho .tinging of tho New Zealand anthem, but the hundred or so people present, were not in very robust voice. In introducing tho speakers, the Chairman said that.when he had been requested to preside over that night’s proceedings he had felt he would be a poor-spirited public man if lie refused to assist that small community of people who weye making a study of politics and tho economic problems that confronted the country to-day. The speakers were both immigrants—Mr Minnock being a Scotsman, and Mrs Page hailing from Wolverhampton, England, where she had been a lady councillor and had been connected with the cooperative movement of that country—and they were now taking considerable interest ha the dominion’s affairs. THE PARTY'S OBJECTS. "The object of the National Demo-cratic-Party,” said Mr Minnock, "is to organise a political party whoso objects will be to increase ancl_ maintain tho standard of living in New Zealand.” They all knew, ho continued, that within a very short time - there had been a considerable reduction in the wages of people in New Zealand. Tho spending power of the people had been reduced without any commensurate benefit being given to’the people whoso wages had been cut. Tho Rational Democratic Party was entirely opposed to wage cuts. It was not the method to cure tho existing evil, which was much deeper am’ broader lhau wage cuts. Tho party Was going to make an attempt to create a new outlook. Some people said that democracy had failed. The party held that democracy had never had a chance, it had never had a fair deal. In New Zealand there was no political opinion. It had been said, and 1 e‘ thought very truly, that a man without a* soul was dead, and he thought they could als > say that a nation without an ideal was doomed.

The first item on tho party’s programme was finance, and it advocated the establishment of a State bank? i Air Minnock said that they were living under a system of controlled currency', and that that had been caused by going back to the gold standard at tho behest of the Federal Banks of tho l United States. He blamed the Bank of England for the unemployment position owing to the pulling in of credi s. There was not a single reason, he said, whv they should not have a State bank in New Zealand, and tho new party would stand for the establishment of such a bank with the sole right of note issue. New Zealand made a grant of almost £7,000,000 to the bankers through tbo note issue, but tho bankers wore not content with that and reduced the note issue by some £600,000. There was no reason why they should pot have a larger note issue instead of a smaller one. The people had nothing to lose, but everything to gain, by. creating a State bank. A State bank would reduce interest, and it was only by establishing s. State bank that they ‘would get cheaper money. That was the onlyway they could get it. f The party advocated, tho extension of the State Advances Department, and would do so by means of a State bank, it paid to lend money through tho State Advances Department, which was making a profit to-day, and ho-would extend its qperations even to include sec-ondax-y industries.

"Regarding the war debt, the party thought that it should bo funded internationally or wipej completely' out intcmatiooially on similar linos to disarmament. It w-as passing strange that the. men who went out to fight the battles of tho country were tho very men who were asked to pay the war debts. It should not ho tolerated, lie said; it was not heccssary. Ho suggested that tho League of Nations should seriously consider tho question of having the Avar debts cither cancelled ■ or considerably reduced. , FISCAL POLICY. Mr Minnock considered that it Avas 'a very difficult thing for any party to bo brave enough to say that tho fiscal policy ox New Zealand Avas AATong, but, nevertheless, lie believed it Avas true. The fiscal policy of New. Zealand Avas aimed at raising revenue, and how was it possible, he asked, to reduce the cost of living if they imposed tariffs for revenue purposes only? The Democratic J.V stood for Freetradc, with protcctii - all things produced in' New Zeah reciprocity Avith all other countries m the Avorld, no sweated goods to be alloAA-ed to enter, no matter in Avhat country they mignt bo pro- ' duced. Tho party’s leanings were proliritish, because Britain Avas NeAv Zealand’s best customer, talcing £40,000,000 of the £55,000,000 of her productions.

‘‘ Tho manufacturers need not be afraid of anything avg avoulc! do,”-went on Mr Minnock “ There are certain industries in this country I Avould not protect, but there are some that I would safeguard by a protection Bill. We Avould say to the manufacturer: ‘ If’ you can prove that you require protection aa’o Avill bring in a safeguarding Pill to safeguard your industry, button tho distinct understanding that tho public will have tho benefit, and if you pub up your prices your protection Avill cease! Wc have enough brains, enough machinery, and the men ami women to' supply our own needs, and there is no need for them to ho imported.’ ”

UNEMPLOYMENT Unemployment was a .subject that must l:e tackled in a statesmanlike manner, not only lor themselves but for posterity, continued Mr Minnoek. They proposed to bring in a compulsory insurance scheme, payment to bo compulsory on the basis of one-third from the State, one-third from the employer, and one-third from the employee, the employer to be responsible for the collection. Regard ng unemployment schemes, ho would advocate 'forestry, land development, reading, wharf and fishing station renewal work, land clearing, etc., the schemes to bo financed from the State bank, internal Joans, and contributory insurances. TAXATION. Dealing with taxation, Mr Minnoek *aid the objects of the party were graduated income tax, land tax, and reserving the right to modify or increase the Customs ahd Excise duties, lie f|'ioted figures showing that the people iu New Zealand were treated tuuch too leniently in the way of income

tax, and he Avould alter tho taxation so that it brought in at least £4,500,000 instead of £3,400,000" as at present.

OTHER AIMS,

Tho future success of tho dominion Avas mainly dependent on tho effic.ent uso of tho land, and the party proposed to draft a Bill Avhich Avould assist tho primary producer, Avho Avould receive tho full value of his improvements, and would also receive assist.mce from the State bank. No more Crown land Avould be sold, and it advocated a revaluation of all lands. It also advocated closer settlement schemes on a co-operative basis, as adopted in .West Australia. Referring to pensions, ho urged that the period of residence" in Ncav Zealand should be reduced from twentyfive to ten yekrs. The party Avas in favour of compulsory arbitration as it existed at the present time, and it (onsidered that all means of transport, including raihvays, should bo put under a transport board, but ho denied depoliticalisation, contending that the railways were in the same position as tho Post Office or the State Advances Department. P A RLI AMENT AR Y REFOR M.

The most important nlank of the party’s platform Avas parliamentary reform, including tho abolition of tho Legislative Council. The cost of that chamber to the country Avas £13,147, plus expenses, annually, and tho House of Representatives cost £49,475 annually. The cost of the Legislative Department was £95,191, and the party believed it could save the country at least £30,000 annually and the dominion Avould get .quicker and better legislation. The number of parliamentary representatives would be not more than fifty, and there Avould bo twelve advisory councillors to replace the Legislative Council.

FROAI WOAIEN’S VIEWPOINT

Next came Airs wage, who was to give tlie woman’s side of the party’s policy. Altuougn she wd uad considerable' experience m public speaking at Home, sue said sue took tno piutiorm in Aew Zealand lor tno first tunc tliat mgnt. Air Alin nock bad given them a good deal to think about, Having gone into facts and ngurcs in many things and in many ways. Sfio did not propose to go deeply into tho matters, but just to point out Aviiat a woman could do to assist politics. “ Women are needed iu politics tho I samo as in tho home,” said Airs Page. ■ ‘‘They can’t do AVithout women. A woman should ho able to give her opinion on everything—home, council. I country. How many men have said [from the platform: ‘.I should not he in the position 1 occupy to-day if it 1 Avcru not for my mother’s influence ’ ? [ Women have gob a great part to play iin making up a good nation. Women | in New Zealand have had their vote i for forty years. Sometimes 1 think I they have had it too long, and have forgotten Av-liut tho >te really moans, in England the Avomen had to light very hard to get any recognition.” Urging Avomen to take an interest, in political subjects, Airs Page said that everything dealing Avith too homo had something to do with politics. Finance was a question which governed the home, caused friction in the homo; and Avho knoAV better than women what small wages meant? They knew the hardships they had to go through to make ends meet. Aew, Zealanders wore no better off than Englishmen. They were facing the problem of depression in every ivay. Many were going hungry; that should not be. “Take notice of what has been told to you tonight on hoAv to get better conditions. At election time look into the policies of each party, and exercise your vote in the interests of yourselves.” On unemployment Airs Pago said: “ Who suffers most Avhen unemployment comes along? Tho mother in tho home could tell you, and that is why she should take an interest in the question of getting Avork for the people and thus make life happier than avo find it to-day.” Regarding the peace of the Avorld, Mrs Page said that this question was being spoken of by women tho world over to-day. The women’s votes should bo used rightly in case another Avar should come, Avhen their sons and daughters Avould have id suffer again as their parents had suffered through the last Avar. , After tho meeting that night sno imped they would fit meettogether again to discuss the points and policy of the new party now formed to make tho dominion a bettor place to live in. Like many other things man had upset this country, and sho hoped that before long ;they would have better conditions, and the only way to better tho country—to make it God’s own country, as it was known in Seddon’s day—was to use their A’otcs properly when they woro called upon to do so

VOTE OF THANKS. After a' number of questions bad boon asked and answered, Mr G. S. Geddes moved ttiat the speakers bo accorded a hearty vote of thanks for their addresses. I Mr A. Morrison desired to move an amendment to the effect that, owing I to the financial condition of the country, the time was not opportune for the formation of a new political party, but , the chairman refused to accept it. and on tlvo motion being put it was dc--1 dared carried by at least 85 per cent, of those present. The singing of the i National Anthem terminated the meeting.