POLITICAL FREEDOM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20965, 31 August 1931, Page 12

POLITICAL FREEDOM.

PARTY TIES DEPLORED. MR. W. W. MASSEY'S VIEWS. [from our own correspondent. ] POKENO, Saturday. The view that when ho stood before the electors again at the next general election he would no doubt be found doing so as one who sought return to Parliament free from* party ties, was expressed by Mr. W. W. Massey, M.P. for Hauraki, in replying to the toast "Members of Parliament" at the annual dinner of the Pokeno Chamber of Commerce last even-

Mr. Massey said his acquaintance with the llouso of Representatives sinco his recent election had brought homo to him how much time was occupied in tedious repetition in the debates—and this, too, at a time when the country had big problems to face, lie felt that too many members went to Parliament tied too closely to a section or a party, or bound by pledges made on the public platform to do all they could to put through this or that bill.

Ofttimes, while a measuro which came before Parliament might benefit perhaps even nearly all the people, on examination it was found that it would also inflict great hardship on a few. A member who had given a pledge on the public platform to support such a measure would, no doubt, have no intention of inflicting hardship on anyone, but would, find himself committed to such a course as tho outcome of his pledge. Mr. Massey said his own view was that a member could best promote the welfare of all if ho were freo to take whatever line of action appeared to him best to meet each case as it arose.

Tho problem of making the costs of production accord with tho new level of prices for produce had to be solved, together with many incidental problems, and ho felt he would be better able to do his part toward grappling with these difficulties if the electors saw fit to return him to Parliament free from restrictions.