Where Nationalists And Labour Clash; Seven Points Stated

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1938, Page 6

Where Nationalists And Labour Clash; Seven Points Stated

(JEVEN POINTS OP FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE K LABOUR PARTY’S POLICY AND THE PRINCIPLES OF NATIONAL PARTY WERE OUTLINED BY THE HON. ADAM HAMILTON, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION, DURING HIS ADDRESS IN THE TOWN HALL ON SATURDAY NIGHT. Firstly, said Mr Hamilton, the Nationalists stood lor no particular section of the community, but for the nation as a whole. Professional men, farmers, and working men were all included in this classification. Reference to “working men" drew many dissentient remarks from a section of the crowd at the back of the hall. Answering thorn. Mr Hamilton said: “I want to tell the working men at the back that working men throughcut the country are joining our parly in thousands today, flic workcis of Great Britain have themselves returned a National Government. “The Labour Government of New Zealand is definitely a sectional one.” he continued. “L is dominated by the Easter Conference and the Trades Hall.”

Defence. In defence matters. Mr Hamilton said the Nationalists stood behind Great Britain. He deplored the recent remarks of Mr Jordan, the Dominion High Commissioner in London. Great Britain’s policy was one that aimed at world peace, and it was New Zealand’s duty to follow in the wake of that policy. Private Enterprise. The third point raised was that of px’ivate enterprise, which. said Mr Hamilton, definitely clashed with Labour’s intentions. Labour aimed at State control, State ownership, and State Socialisation, while the National Party aimed at private enterprise. He drew attention to the furthering of the State’s activities in industries formerly privately-owned, saw milling being an example. A voice: Good on them. Mr Hamilton: I say that u can better be done by private enterprise, under personal management. It does not follow that because a big undertaking like the Post Office is rim successfully by the State that other enterprises can be so run. You couldn’t buy a piece of land from the Government if you tried.

Interjections prevented Mr Hamilton proceeding, but he continued when the shouting had died down. “The tx’ouble with the people at the back is that they don’t know what their own men are doing. Mr Langstone has definitely stated that he will not grant freehold titles to Crown lands. All he will give the farmers is £4 a week, and the sack if they don’t w r ork for it. He has said so himself . . . oh, yes, you may boo, but you arc only booing your own Minister.”

Savings and Land Ownership. The fourth point mentioned was the private ownership of land and savings. “We say that it is in the interests of the country that farmers should own their own land, just as it is that people should have homes of their own and have the right to lay aside savings for old age,” said Mr Hamilton. ‘•'Labour says the State should own all properly and all wealth. We clash with them there. New Zealand would not bo what it is today if it had been rim under State ownership and control. Personal attention is the best means of giving service.” Mr Hamilton's fifth point was land settlement. “It is one of our hopes that people shall be put back on the land.” he said. “It is better to expend money in this way than in many of the other ways that are being done today. It is better to build some of the State houses in the country than to put them all in the towns.

The State’s Duty. “Wo consider the State should bo a centralised body appointed by the people to look after the people’s interests, and to sot down rules whereby the people may best be organised with law and oi’der and give the people freedom to live out their own private lives in their own way. We are now heading towards a State domination that may endanger our British freedom, It is one of the greatest gifts of the Creator that we can organise our own private lives; but if State regimentation is to dominate then we say this country will not stand for it.” Taxation Increases. Taxation was another point of difference mentioned by Mr Hamilton. The National Party considered the smallest possible taxation should be levied, and that as much as possible should be left for the people to spend in industry. “There never Avas a time when taxes have mounted up as they have in Labour's term of office.” he said. “Wo definitely stand for the abolition of unemployment taxation on women, very few of whom have ever gained any benefit from the tax."

Safeguard Heritage. Social services should be instituted on the grounds laid down by Sir Truby King. Child and mother welfare should be a matter for co-opera-tion between the various bodies already in existence, and should not be for the Slate as a separate body. Mr Hamilton concluded by appealing to the people to stand by the heritage that had been handed down, and to fight for those things which were worth fighting for. so that the future might be one of progress tor the Dominion,