Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 1 August 1938, Page 4

Readers Write

May I reply to a letter written by Mr Allan by reminding him that the Labour Party was pro-German between 1914 and 1918. LABOUR AND Many of its memPATRIOTISM. bers, whom I knew, not only refused to enlist themselves, but did their utmost to prevent young men from doing so. Then came conscription, and while I do not say that conscripts did not do good work, including supporters of the Labour Party among them, it is nevertheless a fact that some men who are now prominent in the Government did their best to stir up trouble among the boys while in camp.—"LEST WE FORGET.”

I think the people of New Zealand must be thinking that the Government is net far from the straight path

in much of the legislation it has brought down during its first Parliament when members of the Opposition are so clearly in agreement with the greater part of it. There is, of course, much criticism of a general character, in which Oppositionists deal in 'abstractions, but I have failed to find any occasion where a Government proposal has been really opposed. That is as it should be, for while some of the speeches made by Ministers may be a little crude, their proposals and work are marked by commonsense. The fact that so much has been done to improve the position of rich and poor alike, and yet finish the year with a big surplus, shows that the Opposition has no real reason to condemn the Government’s policy in detail.—“LET FAIRNESS RULE.”

Why do people harp on the few years of very low prices, and forget the many of high ones? If the secre-

WOMEN IN COWSHEDS,

tary of the Whangarei Dairy Company were to publish the average

returns for each of the last 25 years I think we would see that there were as m'any years with the price over 2/ per lb as there are with the price under, and an average of about 1/6.

Yet, in a recent issue of your paper, a correspondent said that 15 years ago she was forced to go into the shed. The price, I think, would then be about 1/6. She stayed there for 13 years, but now, with prices between 1/2 and 1/3, there is no longer any need. I do not see how the price has anything to do with it. How could she leave the shed with the price at 1/2 if she had to go in with the price about 1/6? No, the reason she can leave the shed is perhaps that her children are old enough to take her place, or the mortgage is paid off (or the mortgagee’s savings have been stolen), or the farm is now more productive.

The Government had no more to do with the price being 2/6 than it had with it being lOd, but the present Government is to blame that the price is not higher than it is, and that taxes, cost of living and working are so high. It is hard to know what will happen when prices fall, as they will. Will taxes, etc., fall? Not under this Government. Here will be their chance to take the land. Thousands will walk off. But how will the Government work the farms?—“FARMERESS.”

Professor Algie goes on his way rejoicing, and, incidentally, talking through his hat. He asked his hearers the other night, how they ac-

FREEDOM AT STAKE.

iVi UUI pi CTi5ent prosperity, and how could they account for the depression in this country coinciding with depressions in Australia and America. He also inquired if the Forbes-Co’ates Government was responsible for them all?

Could he tell us why America is now struggling through a severe trade recession, while, to condemn him with his own words, “we are enjoying a wave of prosperity”? Can I also inquire if Mr Savage is responsible for the trade recession in America,

Touching on this democracy about which Professor Algie is so concerned, he says: “Under democracy we would every three years, elect a Government, etc., etc.” Just note that little word “three,” remembering how it took a “Socialistic Government” (using the learned professor’s words) to give us back elections every three years, which his friends took away from us. He stands condemned by his own words.

The learned professor says again that “a democratic government is the servant of the people,” but, of course, it must also be the National Party. My own personal opinion is that if Conservatism is the servant of the people, it also serves two masters, or tries to do so. Just ponder over this statement made by a man m'any years ago, a member of a family of financiers renowned to this day (Rothschild). He said, “Give me control of the credit of a nation 'and I care not who makes its laws.” There are thousands in this country intensely concerned about the freedom about which Professor Algie speaks so glibly, and are doing their utmost to keep it, knowing that if the learned professor's friends - are returned again to power we say good-bye once more to frfreedm. —“LET US BE FAIR.”