NATIONALIST PLAN

Evening Star, Issue 22571, 12 February 1937, Page 8

NATIONALIST PLAN

WELDING TOWN AND COUNTRY \ 1 LABOUR DEFICIENCIES IN GOVERNMENT MUST LEAD TO DISTRESS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 11. “ A policy mutually satisfactory to the farmers’ unions in the country and the chambers of commerce in the towns is the aim of the New Zealand National Party,” said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Adam Hamilton, at a meeting of the Dominion Council of the party. _ .... The main principle for which the party stood was to hold fast - to whatever was good in the past and to progress with care and prudence, to preserve the liberty of the subject, and to stand for the utmost freedom of the individual with the minimum of State control and interference, said Mr Hamilton. The shaping of the policy would he difficult. A broad tolerance in the face of the common danger of confiscatory and bureaucratic government was essential. He was determined to weld all the groups representing the more responsible vote in town and country into one party. It was the duty of the National Party to oppose the 'Government, because the Labour vote was not the. best, qualified by experience, ability, or responsibility to meet the needs of the country, and inust inevitably lead to distress. Judgment, reason, and justice must temper the sympathy and sentiment by which the Labour legislation of the past session was wholly dominated. Mr C. H. Weston was elected president. / Solid progress in the party organisation was reported, and the organisation of finance was also considered.