DEMOCRAT POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 246, 14 September 1935, Page 2

DEMOCRAT POLICY

LEADER’S STATEAIENT

ANNOUNCEMENT NEXT MONTH

Per Press Association

I DUNEDIN, Sept. 13. ' The announcement that he would open his party’s campaign with, a policy speech in one of the main centres early in October was made by the Democrat Leader (Mr T. C. A. Hislop) on his arrival in Dunedin to-day in the course of a tour of the South Island. I Mr Hislop stated that his party had made all the necessary arrangements to fight the election campaign with the utmost efficiency. He preferred to withhold any comment of a comprehensive nature upon the policy of his i party until the opening of its campaign, but lie made it clear that if the I Democrats were placed in power at the elections they would abolish both, the gold tax and the sales tax. Thev would contest practically every seat in the country at the general election. Up to the present 68 candidates had been selected and the choice of the remainder was on the point of completion. An official announcement of the names of all the Democrat candidates would be made before the opening of the campaign next month. 1 “Don’t make any mistake about the fact that wo are a very strong party,” Mr Hislop added. “It is an open secret among those who know,” Mr Hislop declared, “that the principal advisers of the present Government are three gentlemen outside Parliament who are convinced Socialists. The fruits of their advice are apparent and will become increasingly apparent if the Government is allowed to remain in office. It is clear to me that were the Democrat Party not in the field a triumph for Socialism would be assured at the coming election. AVe give an opportunity to the great mass of the people who do not believe in Socialism to stand by the basic principles of democracy and the right of the individual to develop himself and his affairs within general control of the 'Government. AA’e have a definite policy concerning all major problems of the day. I have already outlined a considerable part and will deal with it in detail in my opening speech.” TAVO POLICY POINTS.

All- Hislop stated that he would refer only to two matters covered bv the policy of his party. One of them had come to his mind when he read the report of a statement made by Viscount Bledisloo referring to the possibilities of the development of the gold_ bearing areas of the South Island it the Government could be persuaded to be moderate in the amount of the taxation which it would impose in future years on the goldmining industry. “AVitli these remarks I fully agree, Air Hislop said. “It is with the object of stimulating the gold-producing industry of the Dominion that the Democrat Partv has as one of the important points of' its policy the removal of the gold duty.. This would give an impetus to the industry, with consequent absorption of a very largo number or unemployed and the opening up or avenues for profitable expenditure or capital and an increase in the national income. I have examined this question carefully and lam satisfied that vwtli proper assistance and encouragement to the goldmining industry we can achieve a great deal toward national recovery. “The heavy export duty on gold is just one other result of the Government’s plunge into an artificial ex. change policy. They put this duty on to help to meet some of the,costs of their exchange policy, hut they did not hesitate to confiscate the people s gold that was lying in the banks at the time they took over the banks gold reserves for the Reserve Bank. Democrats proposed also to remove the sales tax, which was another burdensome result of the original exchange blunder.