‘LIBERTY AT STAKE’

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1939, Page 5

‘LIBERTY AT STAKE’

COMMENT ON GOVT'S. ACTION.

(Per Press Association —Copyright).

AUCKLAND, February 14

“Liberty is as stake!” said Mr R. W. Algie, organiser of the New Zealand Freedom Association, when describing the refusal of the Government to grant an originating summons to test the validity of the import control regulation as a parallel with the methods of European dictators,,

“For a Government which will, thus remain roughshod over long-e&tahlish-ed principle of justice to call • itself democratic, is simply a shocking misuse of language, and an insult to the intelligence of the New Zealand public. It is the liberty of the man in the street which is at stake in the long run. The law says that any citizen who wishes to test the meaning or validity of any statute by law, will, or deed, can do so simply by placing the matter before the courts for their decision. If the Government is sure of the' legality of its' actions regarding import control what could it desire more than that its legislation should receive the approval and support of the decision of the only tribunal in the country that is entirely independent and wholly free from prejudice, political feelings and influence? If, on the other hand,* the Government has reason to doubt the legality and justice of its own actions, and to dread exposure, what could be more disastrous for it than to lose its case in the courts. Why is the Government afraid to face the issue. /If this recent attempt to legislate arbitrarily by Order in Council and to’ refuse ordinary access to the courts goes a unchallenged and undefeated we must resign ourselves to the consequences.. We jinust, in this event, be prepared to see a dimunition—perhaps the destruction—of the authority of Parliament over all matters of the State economic policy, and for the future must be prepared to witness the advent of important and far-reaching . changes merely, by the introduction overnight of autocratic Orders in Council. This would inevitably lead to a substitution of legislation by a decree for that based upon the free and unfettered debate by chosen representatives of the people in Parliament.”