Principles Will Count At This Years Election

Northern Advocate, 26 May 1949, Page 7

Principles Will Count At This Years Election

HOLLAND BELIEVES THAT..,

AUCKLAND, Thu. (Sp.).—“This year’s general election will, I believe, be somewhat different from those of the past,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) in an address at Devonport last night. Over 650 people crowded the theatre and a cheering crowd was unable to gain admission. “In other years it has been very largely a question of ‘What have you to offer?’ but this election is one in which I believe the question of principles will be of greater importance than details of policy,” Mr Holland said.

Mr Holland said that misrepresentation and vilification were already stronger today than at the same stage within his experience. A story had been circulated in Wellington that if the Naional Party became the Government pensions for the blind would be cancelled, and only that afternoon he had heard it suggested that the hard of hearing should obtain their hearing aids now, as they would not get them after November if there were ’a change in Government. These were lies, like others claiming that the National Party would cut wages and social security. TOE PROSPECTS “Our opponents say we are the tools of big business,” he added. “Big business in New Zealand has nothing to hope for from the National Party, save what comes to the public through general prosperity. “I am often asked about the National Party’s prospects in this year of 1949. I say they have never been as good as they are today. • “There is a steadily increasing public support for, and faith and belief In the principles for which we stand, and there is an increasing feeling that Socialism is a bad thing. “And the last week of the .Labour Party’s confei-ence in Wellington has been about the best week the National Party has ever had.” Mr Holland, who gave his Impressions of Australian progress and prosperity, and compared conditions there with those existing in New Zealand, criticised the Government's policy of paying off overseas indebtedness. He said that in the past four years Mr Nash had paid off £95,000,000, some of it years before it was due, and his crazy policy had reduced correspondingly the Dominion’s ability to import goods .for . which there was a great public demand. The Minister was given to boasting Qf the reduction in New Zealand’s overseas indebtedness, but said little about her increasing internal debts. INDUSTRIAL OBJECTIVES

already gone toward socialisation was emphasised by Mr Holland. He said the Government had taken B • class radio stations, the Reserve Bank, the Bank of New Zealand and the airways. Import,' exchange and building controls were all Government monopolies, and so was workers’ compensation insurance.

To return Labour- again meant more state monopolies, including possibly stock and station agents, ferry services, freezing works, fire and life insurance, lime works, dairy factories and newspapers. ISSUE OF MONEY

Already the Reserve Bank had issued so much money as to reduce purchasing power by half, the Internal Marketing Department apple and pear branch had lost £760,000, housing, with 1 per cent “funny money,” was losing £45,000 a week, and the railways, in spite of increased fares and freights, were losing £4,000,000 a year. This was Socialism ,at.:work, for which Labour must accept sole responsibility. “Everybody knows all is not well and that we are drifting dangerously,” he said..

The Industrial objectives of the National Party were defined by Mr .Holland. He said they were the estab.lishment of goodwill between employer and employee, peace and industrial democracy, and, secondly, the encouragement of production by higher incomes, incentive schemes, and various forms of profit-sharing. New Zealand’s greatest problem today was the ever-increasing cost of living, and this was a problem to which the Government had no answer.

The National Party’s answer to Labour’s device of prices and land sales control was that competition was the best controller.

It was appalling to think that a couple who, by thrift and self-denial, had saved £IO,OOO and invested it at the current rate of interest paid by the Government for a six-year loan, would receive less by way of return than if they had gone on the age benefit. This was bad for any country, and resulted in people preferring to. spend before purchasing power declined even further. Mr Nash, when handling the recent conversion of a £29,000,000 loan, had “confidently appealed” to the investors. Of the 50,600 investors, 7377 had converted their holdings, but 43,000 had refused, a -damning indictment of 13 years of Socialism. Mr Nash had said that whatever extra was paid to a worker, that much would go on to the price of the commodity he was making, Mr Holland'recalled. WHAT NASH TAKES In the case of a wage increase of £l, Mr Nash took 1/6 in social security, and 2/10 in income tax, leaving the employee with an extra 15/8 to spend out of his £l. But this was not all. The wholesaler and the.retailer.had to recover -their increased costs, Mr Nash charged 20 per cent sales tax on many.lines, and so a rise of £1 iin wages meant a .30/- increase in prices, with only 15/8 to meet it. If the Price Tribunal said the costs were , not to be passed on, then the goods would not be made, a and Mr. Nash’s receipts, from taxation would 'decline.. 0,5; •

New Zealand had already lost part of the export market for soft woods tq Sweden because of rising costs, and the same .applied to fish for export “Today we are. receiving record prices for butterfat,” Mr Holland said. i “Now what is the prudent thing to do? Surely it is to put a little bit aside for a. rainy day. "But today we are paying our dairy farmers £4/10/- a ton more than the record price we are receiving on the London market.” The distance New Zealand had

“It is time for a change,” Mr Holland concluded. !;

“At the end of this year the people will be given an opportunity to choose a new Government, I. firmly believe that..if freedom.is .restored, the economy of this country can be brought to sound lines.” Mr Holland, whose appearance in the theatre had been greeted with , sustained applause, was accorded musical honours at the end of his speech.

A vote of appreciation was carried by acclamation.