NEW ZEALAND LEGION

Matamata Record, Volume XVII, Issue 1546, 26 July 1934, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND LEGION

; ANNUAL CONFERENCE i Shire System of Government Delegates from all over New Zealand were present at a Dominion conference of the New Zealand Legion held at the Accountants’ Chambers, Wellington, last week. The president, Dr. Campbell Begg, submitted proposals as a workable substitute for the present method of party government. Economic questions were looming large in the people’s minds, but no matter how good and necessary they might be, proposals could not be prepared, carried out or administered in the people’s interests by the present machinery. A mere change in personal under the present system would make little difference. It was, true that Parliament could, if it would, make all the necessary changes, but theirs was the only movement to create an organised public opinion to induce Parliament 4o do so.

Such a movement as the Legion, through inducing an increasing number of people to analyse present social and economic conditions, was bound to develop a tendency—a realisation of the necessity for changes in the social structure to meet, new conditions. Their general attitude would, no doubt, in the old political terminology, be termed “radical." Many changes for the benefit of the mass of the people must be instituted, and this could be done only by those whose interests lay with the people, and not with any privileged group to which they happened to belong. Such changes should be welcomed and evolved by people of wide sympathy and sane outlook, not through reckless class advocacy from the left or right. i Majority in the House Needed The machinery for political action had been laid down and adopted at the first National Conference in April last year, and published in a booklet which had been widely distributed. He did not think there was much reason to depart from the me- • thods there suggested as to how suit- ? able candidates were to be induced to stand and the basis on which others, who had decided to stand, would receive their support. The aim was, of course, to get a majority in the House to secure the passage of the necessary legislation to establish a non-party form of Government.

Pending an election, those in the House at the present time could alone take action, and it was hoped ■" that a basis of unity and co-opera-tion could be developed there. In order to clear up confusion they must remember that they were not a non-party ‘body in the usual sense of a band of people who agreed temporarily to drop party for a specific purpose. They were, on -the contrary, an organisation to abolish party government—a very different matter. For that purpose -they must use every effective means at their disposal, and not be sidetracked into attempting anything that seemed or had proved to be inaffective. That, of course, did not mean that they hoped to abolish in the country parties or groups‘bound together by similar economic interests. The point was that government should be by co-operation of such groups. They must keep steadily in mind

that certain changes had to be made a non-party form of government would operate, and that required legislation. Legislation required, under existing machinery, a ■majority in the House and a Cabinet to facilitate the passage of the necessary measures. “ Sense of Public Duty ” As they had developed, it became .apparent to him that the Legion should have a permanent place in the life of New Zealand. There was a definite role for such a body as theirs in maintaining high standards . of economic and political thought,, instilling a sense of public duty and service, the duty of man to man, and the practical application of Christian principles in political and economic matters. New Zealand could best take its place in the world by estabV "lishing an international outlook and at the same time a spirit of national pride and duty to country, not only among New Zealanders at home, but among thousands of the Dominion’s 71 sons abroad. . He believed that the Legion had a definite rol& in this respect, and might bon? to form branches amon" - New Zealanders in all parts of the

world. Because the present partyform of government was inimical to these principles they must try to get it abolished, and even when the system was abolished and all the proposals which they advocated had been put into effect, the Legion movement would find plenty of scope to continue its functions along the lines which he had indicated and which were the undoubted logical development of a national movement such as theirs. \ They must be prepare for conscious misrepresentation as well as for misunderstanding. Some people could not conceive of any political action except in terms of party, but as long as they were clear on the matter themselves they need not be concerned.

They had reached the point where they had collected the definite opinions of the majority of the Legion. The conference should be more concerned not so much with fresh ideas as with the determination of positive action to give practical effect to what it thought was right. Conference Resolutions It was resolved that: " The immediate objective of the Legion should be to secure (1) the formation of an economic council; (2) shire system and local government reform; (3) preferential voting ”; and " That representations be made to the leaders of the present parties in the House with a view to the formation of a unity or national government on this basis.” In consideration of whether candidates should be supported at the next election, and conditions governing such support, it was resolved that: "The Legion promote and support candidates at the next election.” During the discussion on the motion, it was pointed out that even if the members. of the present House co-opted for the purpose of the formation of a non-party system on the basis suggested, the working out of the necessary machinery would take time and it would still be necessary, in the event of an election, for the Legion to ensure a majority who would continue the work and carry through the final realisation of the changes in the system. The conference further resolved: “ That the above governmental reform programme being considered vital, agreement to it will be the test by which candidates will gain the support of the Legion.”

It was also resolved: “That hard and fast tests on detailed economic and political questions; other than this programme will not be insisted on in the meantime as a test for the support of candidates; but general policy in this respect (which will, no doubt, receive the support of candidates) will be developed through the organisation of the Legion and its journal.” Several resolutions dealing, with organisations of electorates for the next election were discussed and passed. v