NEW POLITICAL PARTY

Evening Star, Issue 21878, 15 November 1934, Page 1

NEW POLITICAL PARTY

ORGANISER VISITS DUNEDIN SOUTH ISLAND ORGANISATION UNDER WAY Mr A. E. Davy, the organiser of the newly-formed Democrat Party organisation, has reached Dunedin in the course of a tour in the interests of the party, and to a reporter this morning he outlined some of its ideas and prospects. “ The Democrat Party organisation is to-day the strongest anti-Labour political organisation,” said Mr Davy. “ Already it far overshadows those small remnants of the Coalition Parties’ organisations, and as far as enthusiasm, numbers, and type of supporters are concerned, 1 have never known such a strong movement in all my political experience. The divisional executives formed in the North Island are thoroughly representative of all classes, and, I am proud to say, are working with a keenness and, a determination that are a revelation.” Mr Davy said that his reply to the criticism that the names of the executive members had not been published was that no party published such names. They were not prepared to give interested parties opportunity for sabotage or unfair retaliation, as political and other forms of persecution were unfortunately not unknown in this country.

Mr Davy scouted the idea that the Democrat Party was a North Island party, instancing such allegation as the type of mischief that certain political types endeavoured to use. The party was definitely a New Zealand party, and represented no particular section or interest. He had been told that the party’s opposition to the wheat duties would put it out of the South Island, but that was definitely untrue. The party realised that the wheatgrowing industry was worth safeguarding, but the wheat duties were to his mind the worst possible form of protection. A guaranteed minimum price was by far a better proposition. Mr Davy was of the opinion that there had never been such an enthusi-astically-received political movement in the dominion- as that of the Democrat organisation. There was the strongest possible desire to return to sane government along the lines as outlined in the aims and objects of the new party. It was apparent to him that, with no alternative to the present Government, the Labour Party would occupy the Treasury Benches after the next election. The Democrat Party had supplied the alternative, and he had no hesitation whatever in saying that it would not only be the strongest party in the House after the next election, but would also ; be on the -.Treasury Benches.- ■w- - We'-'ivftve • • niunonV*'- candidacies" offering for nearly every seat in the South Island,” continued Mr Davy,' “ and 1 am confident that these will be of a type that will open the eyes of the public in comparison with what lias come to be regarded as the political type. The South Island is inherently anti-Socialistic in its outlook, and the Democrat Party is its only hope.” In replying to certain criticism of the new party's objectives, Mr Davy said it had been stated that guaranteed minimum export prices would cost the country a tremendous amount. That was sheer nonsense. It was impossible to get from the Government a true statement of the cost of exchange. He had been into the "question very thoroughly with his executives and witli the various interests affected, and there could he no argument about the fallacy of the exchange rate subsidy.

Mr Davy’s comment upon the Dairy Commission’s report was that the Government would never succeed in dragooning tile primary industries in such an arbitrary _ manner, and the despotic control aimed at would not be acceptable. The haste to remove unpopular provisions in the proposed legislation and the extreme anxiety to placate indignant interests would be amusing if they were not so pitiful. The present Government presented a spectacle of departmentalism run riot, said Mr Davy. The country was heartily sick of Government by Order in Council. An admission by an ex-Minis-ter that the departmental heads ran the country to-day - was scarcely creditable to the Government.

“ It has been suggested that there will be an early election,” said Mr Davy, “ This is quite possible, and if so, the Democrat Party will be ready. However, this is a little strange in view of the Government’s determined efforts to obtain an extra year of office. If there is an early election, it will bo due solely to the advent of the Democrat Party, and the anxiety of the Government to catch it before it could go too far. Wo are sufficiently far advanced not to mind, but I would point out that the spending of public money by the Government in securing that extra year of office counts nothing in a matter of political expediency. In the meantime wo are going ahead with the South Island organisation and the selection of candidates, and we shall have a few surprises in this connection.”