N.Z. LEGION

Hutt News, Volume 6, Issue 48, 9 May 1934, Page 5

N.Z. LEGION

GENERAL MEETING. A general meeting of members of the N.Z. Legiou was held hi the King George Hall last Thursday evening, Mr T.C. Ward presiding. Before introducing the speaker of tho evening, Dr. Campbell Begg, Mr Ward expressed his pleasure at seeing such a representative gathering present on such au inclement evening. There were representatives from Petoue, Eastbourne, Stokes Yailey and Upper Hutt. After a period of waiting they would be pleased to know that the Legion was now prepared to go straight forward to action.. A Divisional Council for the Hutt Valley was formed, and Mr T. C. Ward was elected chairman and Messrs S. M. Hobbs and E. i\ Eothweli elected treasurer and secretary respectively. Membership had hitherto been offered broadcast to the public as was fitting in a movement aiming at national regeneration. They did not intend, however, to carry any dead wood. Until May 31 old members would have the opportunity of renewing their membership. After that period membership would be only by nomination and election by the Divisional Council. He thanked those present for the .splendid support they had given to tha Legion paper and its other activities, and felt certain that the Hutt Vtnlyy would not lag behind other parts of the Dominion in carrying their great movement to a conclusion. Dr. Campbell Begg, tho Dominion president, then addressed the meeting, giving a great deal of information in regard to the political situation in Now Zealand. There was no intention of opposing certain valued of the three present parties, said the spealur, but others would be nominated in suck a way as to secure a majority in tho House determined to carry out essential political and administrative reconstruction. Dr. Campbell Begg also referred >o the complete revolution in Great Britain which had replaced the policy of laissez faire by Economic planning. He fiiid that the policy to increase the local production of food stuffs in England was based on the necessity of national security and would not be abandoned. There would no doubt be a sigh of relief to think that in New Zealand we had the courage to face the dillicuit read of Economic l'laiming to replace the spasmodic and irritating "interference" of the past. We had now to face the fact that we hud nu machinery of government capable of carrying out any continuous policy v Unless that machinery was amended the goal of tho least possible ititerfereince with individual activity compatible with the interests of the country, and other individuals, cniJ not be carried out. Laissez-faire in politics was unfortunately still the policy of all parties in the iield, and until that was altered it was- impossible for New Zealand :-j launch out on a bold plan of reconstruction. The Legion's proposals for aa Economic Council built up from,the organised economic life of the community itself, and the co-ordination of local body activities by Shire*, were the on'/ constructive programmes that had cc.mi brought forward. The details were difiicult bu by uo means insoluble, and the evils of party government could be controlled in no other way. The urgent need at the present time was a Unity government which must include: the Labour side of the House, with the clear intention 10 take a bold line of action. The vital questions of political and administrative changes to meet the new economic situation could no longer be, shelved without grave danger to the country. Dr. Begg said that he had carefully analysed the Labour Party'* proposals, and he could see no recognition of this fact in them. It was apparently the intention that, if in power, the parly should handle such matters as the n:itional control of currency and trade with no other machinery than that of the government caucus as at present. The present government and the parties composing it adopted a similar attitude. The Legion's duty was clear enough. There were individual men in the Labour Party, as Independents and In the other parties, who were of great value to the country through their presence in the House. It was, however, t':e plain duty of the Legion to secure a majority in Parliament who would '.'.bun don tho hopeless attitude of laissezfaire to outworn political institutions and so readjust the machinery a< to meet the new and much more exacting demands of government, while preserving intact the substance of democracy. The Legion hud to mould a niac'iiucry which would take an active part In the coming election, and the fuirlbn of this machine would be to assist the return of those members of the Hoas. , on all sides whose power of service 1 to the country had been proved and at the same time the return of others who were prepared to carry out the full pro gramme of political and economic r. , construction. It was- possible their ;i</tivities' might not prove attractive '.o the existing party organisaions. The cry of vote-splitting had boon raised by both parties, and of the two the Labour Party might have more 1

grounds for such complaint tliaa the Coalition. An analysis of the voting in tlio .different electorates showed indubitably that there was a lairge group of progressively minded people who, in the absence of a third candidate (f their own type of thought, vote l'»r Labour or do uot vote at all. The system of- preferential voting advocated by the Legion is simple and effective. The time has past, talk of "mushroom growths" nothwithstauding, when any of the existing parties, whether they be Heforni, Labour or United, may imagine that they have bought out the monopoly of elei coral rights. Preferential voting of a scientific type will break up the tyranny c f the party nominations, whereas the present system of lirst-past-the-post beloved of the parties results in defeating the will of the electors. He believed tha*, under the Nanseu-Hodbeu system this form of voting could too made a true and simple test of the electors' wishes and any party that tries to defeat fck : s aim by nominating dummies or other wise would burn their Augers badly. He said frankly that the country was rotten ripe for a group whi'h would lead boldly to political and cco noinie reconstruction with full, knowledge of the world trends to which we must conform in these days of rapid change. New Zealand had to off the shibboleths of insularism ui.'l progress-killing conservatism as well as the fear of sectional interests which had been tin* curse of our political lU'e The Legion's plans not only provided high ideals in national liAj but practical proposals for their fulfilment. Organising and educational activities lr-id been our role up till now. We must in future have action for our watchword. Unity in national spirit and unity in government was the aim, and he believ cd that the, whole country would respond and get behind them in their effort.