NATIONAL PARTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 July 1938, Page 2

NATIONAL PARTY

j ANNUAL MEETING OF NELSON BRANCH j ! ADDRESS BY MR J. R. KERR The annual meeting of the Nelson Bauch of the New Zealand National! Party was held at the National Party’s looms, E. and D. Edwards’ building on ( Tuesday Tast. The hall was tilled to capacity with an enthusiastic gatheringoi members and was presided over by Mr j F. J. Lock m the unavoidable absence, of Mr C. R. Duke, chairman of the branch i (states a contributed report.) Mr Lock! addressed the meeting and described in, scale detail the work of the branch dur- j ing the past year. He presented the) annual report of the branch which was adopted. The report of the ladies organisation within the electorate was also! read. Nominations for committee were then, called for and a large and representative i committee was set up. Mr J. R. Kerr, National candidate for, tlie Nelson seat ,who was received with , musical honours, in the course of his ad- j dress, emphasised the fact that only the, National candidates could be relied upon to vote the Socialist Government out of . oliice. ilia opponent had recorded his vote in favour of the Socialist Government upon the last uo-coulidence motion. Amidst much applause the speaker made it clear that his vote would be directed towards putting them out. It was impossible to vote with the Labour Party, and, at the same time, vote against socialism. As the National candidate he was pre pared to see the last pound in the Treasury spent to ensure that no man, woman o- child went hungry or cold in this Dominion. He would band every human effort to guarantee equal rights and privileges to all. The social divinend to which every citizen was entitled was a job. The Nationalist Party yielded i t.) no one in its desire to further sound! humanitarian legislation. That was only ' social justice, and the National Party was ; determined upon that. It was deter-1 mined also to provide better conditions for more people on a more permanent basis. That was the crux of the matter. The speaker then expressed the view . that a policy of State control of industry, business and farms coupled with an everincreasing burden of taxation, would destrop the security of New Zealand and the savings of the people. The present Socia- , iist Government had already assumed control of at least seventeen different of business and industry. The importers of oranges and bananas, for instance, had been driven out of business without any compensation whatever. A Government Department now exclusively controlled the importation and sale c f , oranges and bananas. It was to-day impossible for a young man who qualified as a chemist to set up in business without permission from the Miuister of Industry. That freedom had been taken away. It was also impossible for a chemist to remove his place of business to adjoining premises without Government permission. It was also impossible for a • chemist to soil his business except upon terms and conditions and at u price approved by the Government. This State control of business was proceeding rapidly and it was only a matter of time under a Socialist Government when all business : would he similarly State controlled. T.i ’ this way the freedom of the people was being undermined, and at the same time . a crushing burden was being placed upon the shoulders of future generations. The time had arrived for our people lo take stock of the situation and face up to the outlook for the future. It may be j that by dissipating the savings and assets of the people accumulated over a 100 years : that for a short period the present recKless extravagance could continue. It was, however, only a Roman holiday, and when the time to pay came the electors , would be sa\age indeed. Under the guise ol false philanthropy New Zealand was being ruiued. Our administration hud sunk to a very low level m the eyes of the i Empire, and was about on a level with • Alberta.

Mr Kerr added, however, that he was convinced that the commonsense inherent i i all British communities would asseit itself in New Zealand. The National l*arty alone stood between New Zealand and State Socialism. The whole future of the people, and security of our sick, aged and deserving were dependent upo i the return of the National Baity to the Treasury Benches. Mr Kerr’s address was listened to with' the keenest of interest and was punctuated with rounds of applause. At the conclusion of his address he was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks which was carried unanimously. The meeting concluded with the singing of the National Anthem and the «erv. ing of supper which was very kindly supplied by the ladies’ committee.