The Election- Union Ballots And Farmers’ Pools: Mr Holland’s Views

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1949, Page 8

The ElectionUnion Ballots And Farmers’ Pools: Mr Holland’s Views

OAMARU, .-November 8 (P.A.).— After travelling extensively in the North. Island, it was his opinion that no paTty policy had been received with such wide acclaim as the National Party policy of 1949, said the leader of the National Party (Mr S. G. Holland) in an election address this -evening. . Independently supervised ballots, on strike issues and on the elections of officials of unions were touched on by Mr Holland. This would apply only where membership was compulsory. If -people were compelled by law tO'belong to some society or union, then there was an obligation to ensure that such ballots were properly conducted. . . ... There was actually provision in the existing -law for the Registrar of Industrial Unions or some other official of the Labour Department .to supervise ballots in certain circumstances. If the Labour Government did this it was apparently all right, Mr Holland said, but if the National Party did it, then it was told it was all wrong. The depression of 1930 was manmade and, in the light of subsequent events, they found it was badly handled, Mr Holland said. He would say, however, that there was no country in the world in which the position was handled as well as in. New Zealand. Inflation in New Zealand today was also man-made, and it was also being badly handled. Inflation undermined the strength and vitality of an economy. Mr Holland said that in the stabilisation pools, there was approximately £44,000,000 of the farmers’ money. Of this, £40,000,000 had been left with the Government for safe keeping, but every penny had been spent on railways, hydro-electric works, tunnels, and other works. If prices failed and farmers asked for their own money, what policy would the Government adopt? Mr Holland asked. The Government would go to the Reserve Bank, as it had in the past, and ask it to print money, which would be pumped into circulation. , There was an attendance ol about 700, and Mr Holland received an attentive hearing.

MANY QUESTIONS AT COMMUNIST PARTY MEETING The meeting addressed by the Communist Party candidate Im Westland, Mr R. H - Mitchell, f Paroa last night was the longest i the election campaign to date. Mi Mitchell spoke for an hour and 1 minutes and his address was follow ed by a question period which lastea for an hour and a-half. there was an attendance of 20 at the meeting, Mi- T. Neame being in the chair. In the course of his address. Mi Mitchell placed particular stress oil attacks on individuals in woikil gclass organisations by the Laboui Party, citing the cases of Mr Holmes, a member of the Public Service Association, and Mr Clapham a man whom, he said, was noted lor ins good work lor the workers at Manfoaki Mr Mitchell, claimed that these attacks were not only attacks on members of the Communist Party but were the forerunner of an an out blitz” on all sections of the workers in New Zealand, and that in attempting to discredit these poop e, the Labour Party was laying the basis for attempts to discredit not only Communists and the Communist Party but all workers’ organisations. At the conclusion of the meeting a vote of thanks to the .speaker was carried unanimously. MR O’REGAN SPEAKS AT WEHEKA The National Party candidate for Westland. Mr P. J. O’Regan, commenced his election lour of far Soulb Westland with rt meeting at W eheku last night. In spite ol unfavourable weather, there was an attendance ol 17 electors at the meeting, Mr M. Sullivan being in the chair. The candidate was given an attentive hearing and dealt with a number of matters of interest to the farming community. He also replied to Labour’s constant “slump talk” and referred at length to Labour’s policy of nationalisation and its effects. At the conclusion of his address, Mr O’Regan was accorded a vote of. thanks. Tonight he will address the electors at Waiho. MR HOLLAND SPEAKS ON DEATH PENALTY OAMARU, November B.—Mr Holland, in an address in the Opera House tonight said: “In my judgment the Question .of the restoration of capital ‘and corporal punishment could never be a policy decision, but must be determined by the conscience of each member of Parliament. In view of the great increase in the number of murders, an overwhelming majority of people support tne restoration of capital punishment.” He said that for some of the most revolting crimes against morality and against women and children, heavy sentences were imposed by the Courts only to find prisoners released after a few years. The National Party’s policy was to reverse completely the early release of those convicted of these grave crimes.