THE PARTIES.

Evening Star, Issue 22195, 25 November 1935, Page 13

THE PARTIES.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, —In your sub-leader of the 22nd inst. you refer to Mr Savage’s prediction that he will_ have 43 or 44 seats in the nest Parliament, and you evidently do not appear to consider such. result will happen at this election. You state that a widely-read newspaper

forecasts the result as Nationalists 38, Labour 33, Democrats 2, Independents 6, Country Party 1. This paper, I presume, is a weekly much read by the working class and published in Wellington, and, although in the past one of the Nationalist Government’s severest critics, especially in connection with the raising of the exchange rate, this paper is now, in common with nearly all the other newspapers of the Dominion, definitely on the side of the Nationalists as opposed to Labour. In your leader you say: “Labour some day will form a Government in New Zealand.” That day-1 venture to predict is very close at hand- You say the time is not yet ripe for Labour to assume control of the reins of government, and that it should have to wait nritil the experiment can be made in times of less difficulty than those which now obtain. This surely is a very poor method of reasoning. It is because of the difficult times and the disapproval of the methods adopted by the Government for dealing with them that the people of this Dominion will decide to give Labour a trial for the next three years (not four, as would be the case were the Nationalist Party again returned to power). _ I remember when Mr Massey spoke in Dunedin in 1911 after a long period in the Opposition and the Liberal Party had outlived its usefulness, he appealed to the electors to give the other fellow a chance This they did, and Mr Massey gained enough seats at the succeeding election to enable him to form a Government. 1 now consider that it is again time the electors gave the other fellow a chance, and that, therefore, Mr Savage should be given his chance in the new Parliament. I would like to draw your attention to an article entitled ‘ New Zealand at the_ Cross Roads,’ which appears in this month’s copy of the ‘ Mirror,’ one of New Zealand’s reputable journals. The writer says, inter alia. “ The present Government during its four years of existence has shown no inclination to employ financial methods more in keeping with the progress made in the spheres of production and manufacture. Indeed, by handing monetary control to a privately-owned Reserve Bank, which, in turn, is dominated by international finance; by burdening the country with a heavy exchange rate; and by endeavouring to correct political shortcomings by ruthless economy and measures that arrest and retard national progress and development, the present Government has greatly prejudiced the present banking system, and has indicated clearly that money is, more than ever, the master of man instead of man being the master of money. In the monetary reform programme, as outlined by the Labour Party, I can see the only hope of the country making its escape honourably from an ever-increasing burden of indebtedness.” Again, in the event of the State assuming control of currency, he says: “As a matter of fact, the changes necessary will be so inconspicuous that, apart from improved social conditions and greater prosperity, they will pass unnoticed by the general public. Our trading banks will carry on business as usual, and there will be no interference with the capital of the shareholders, nor need there be any curtailing or displacing of the present banking personnel, whose reputation and integrity are beyond question.” Surely these words frpm the editor of one of our magazines are deserving of more than a passing notice, and in marked contrast to the articles appearing in our daily papers. In conclusion, I will venture a forecast of the now Parliament as followsLabour 40, Nationalists 20, Democrats 13, Independents 6, Country Party 1. I agree with Mr Hislop that the National Party will be fortunate to got 20 members returned.—l am, etc., Elector. November 25.