Socialist Party's Policy

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 56, 18 February 1935, Page 8

Socialist Party's Policy

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Mr. E. H. Dailey has made the following statement in reply to our letter on this subject: “There is as much difference between the policy and principles of the N.Z. Labour Party and those of the Socialist Party of New Zealand and Great Britain—as there is between night and day.” This is a very curious statement because the objective of each is exactly the same. Your correspondent goes on to inform us and your readers that Sir Stafford Cripps, M.P., is neither spoke*man for nor a member of the Socialist Party. This is not correct. The British Labour Party in its official manifesto in 1927 states that “The Labour Party is a Socialist Party.” This is official and we are entitled to assume its correctness. There is no other Socialist Party, but a Socialist League which is affiliated to the Labour Party. Sir Stafford Cripps was elected to the executive committee at the party conference in October and that conference carried tho policy outlined in our letter. As a member of the executive committee, and one of the principal office holders under the late Socialist Government, we are entitled to accept him as one of the leading spokesmen for the party. Another statement of Mr. Dailey’* is that “Each of the States (in Australia) have their State banks under the Government control.” This is certainly news to us. If these State banks exist! why are they not transacting I banking business? The further statement that the Commonwealth Bank (which is by the way, the only State bank in Australia) is under the control of private interest* is definitely incorrect. In the face of these errors Mr. Dailey’s final statement does not alarm us. —Y’ours. etc., N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE. Wellington, February 15.