PLAIN SPEAKING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 94, 21 March 1939, Page 6

PLAIN SPEAKING

GOVERNMENT HYPOCRISY.

HR HAMILTON HITS OUT

Per Press Association. IN V ERG-aR GlliL, March 21. “I do not have to apologise to Mr Savage, his Government or anyone else m placing the tacts of the political situation before the country,” said Hon. A. Hamilton (Leader of the Opposition), this evening. Mr Hamilton leaves to-morrow for Gisborne and the Waikato to meet supporters ol the National Party in order to discuss current political problems. ‘‘Part of the duty of the Opposition under the British democratic system of which we are proud is that it expounds the views of a large minority of the people,” said Air Hamilton. “Even although the Government may not always admit the part the Opposition plays in its constructive criticism, a truly democratic Government, with the interests of the nation as a whole at heart, notes that criticism and frequently amends its policy accordingly.” Hall-truths, repeated over and over again as propaganda aimed to discredit any legitimate Opposition, had reached such alarming proportions in recent times under the cloak of the “1 can do no wrong” hypocrisy that it was his duty to speak plainly of them, Air Hamilton said. In the day-to-day life of men and women oversensitiveness to criticism on simple and matter-of-fact issues and a tendency to jiersonal abuse rather than to logic were rightly condemned. In the Government, which was apparently so self-satisfied with itself it was an amazing and significant feature of the present political situation. Tn a dictatorial manner, the Labour Government was taking a leaf from the books of the totalitarian States, which had used the methods of intolerance and skilled propaganda of lialftrutbs. WILL NEVER SHTRK DUTY. “As Leader of the National Party I will never shirk my duty in laying the bare tacts as I see them tor the calm judgment of our people,” said Air Hamilton. “Whether a change of heart of Air Savage and his colleagues in their present talk of the national welfare rather than a class struggle is prompted by expediency or a genuine desire remains to be seen ; but for it the National Party members can take much of the credit, since their representations seem to have bad some weight. “That the Labour Government’s talk is not exactly to the pattern of that heard when its members were wooing popular opinion in their campaign to reach the treasury benches may surprise most of its supporters, Air Hamilton added. “Again, the National Party can rightly claim credit for its constructive criticism which is aimed at drawing the attention of the Government to many of its shortcomings. from financial policy to defence.”