“WE HAVE AN AIM”

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 76, 26 February 1938, Page 10

“WE HAVE AN AIM”

NATIONAL PARTY VIEWS. HON. J. G- COBBi’S EXPOSITION. “As Nationalists we believe we have something greater, more vital, more inspiring than any mere party shibboleth; we have a cause, an aim, and that aim is the safety, freedom and prosperity of New Zealand,” said Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in a vigorous conclusion to his speech at Feilding last night. “As a result of the sane legislation of past years, and the initiative, courage and hard work of our early settlers, our country has become prosperous. .But the real wealth of New Zealand is not merely material wealth, it does not consist only in the number of acres we have cultivated, in the number of sheep and cattle we breed, in our ships, our factories and our mines. AVe have greater and more precious treasures than these, in the character and sturdy independence of our people, in their hatred of dictation, and their inherited love of freedom.

“Any spurious, delusive policy that seeks to substitute for those rich possessions the yoke of State dictatorship is hateful and repugnant to the feelings of every true New Zealander. And we will not bow our necks to the Socialistic yoke. To-day New Zealand has opposed to the real interests of her loyal, industrious, and free-dom-loving people the combined forces of Socialism and Communism; and our country hopes and expects that every true man and woman will show by their action at the coming election that they are worthy of the liberty-lov-ing race from which they sprang. “AVhen plausible would-be dictators come along telling fanciful tales of a new Utopia, where the sun always shines, where comfort is universal, and nobody need work or worry, just tell them a number of people swallowed that bait in 1935, and to-day they feel the hook.

“New Zealanders are freedom loving people, that feeling is in our blood,” Mr Cobbe added. “AVe are not going to allow anybody to tax us out of our homes, our farms, or our businesses. AVe believe that the home, tlie farm or other property which an individual has honestly ,and in accordance with law acquired, belongs to that individual. The Socialist believes that such property belongs to the State,- and should be shared with tlie man who has not done his part towards providing it. “AVe, as Nationalists, repudiate the false doctrine that one can get rich by spending, that a country can save by wasting; that the producer can he enriched by increasing liis costs. AA 7 e do not believe that tne worker is better off when his wages are increased 20 per cent, and his living costs are increased 30 per cent. In short, we believe, in that freedom under which every man and every woman may do liis or her daily work, in the way they believe to be right, none daring to dictate, hinder, or make them afraid. “One of the most important matters upon which a country should stand very firm is a fixed determination never, under any circumstance, to tolerate any system that lessens human freedom.’’