SOCIALIST TREND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23029, 5 May 1938, Page 20

SOCIALIST TREND

STATE EXPENDITURE ' -'»> i ' " ' ENORMOUS COMMITMENTS ' Tier-, . v-' ROAD TRANSPORT POLICY DUNEDIN MAN'S COMMENT [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] DUNEDIN, Wednesday Evidence of increasing dissatisfaction throughout the country with the Government's move toward Socialism was noticed by Mr* R. S. McKenzie, a Dunedin business man, who has just returned from a visit to most of the principal cities as far as Auckland. Batches of Government houses* were to be seen in nearly all the towns, Mr*. McKenzie said, and assuming the average qost to be about £IOOO, the aggregate expenditure already undertaken must be enormous. There seemed to be no abatement, for only last week an announcement was made that a further trart of land had been purchased for this purpose at Otahuhu. "Octopus-like Socialism"

"The public learns only step by step of this octopus-like Socialism," Mr. McKenzie continued, "and few realise the extent to which the country is already committed. Latest advice indicates that three of the largest road passenger transport organisations in Canterbury have been taken over by the Government. Two of these companies were not running in any great competition with the railways, and this indicates the determination of the Government to extend its policy to purchase all transport services. "In the North Island, much dissatisfaction was evident among operators concerning the prices paid for services, which were fixed by a Government commission, of which Sir Francis Frazer was the chairman. The alternative to accepting the Government price was to apply to the licensing authorities for a renewal of the licence. The licensing authorities were set up by the Government and had already given decisions supporting the Government's single-ownership policy. There was an appeal from the authorities' decision, but that was to the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple. Money Being Sent Abroad

"The sharebroking business in Auckland and Wellington appears to be in a particularly weak state," Mr. McKenzie said. "This is accounted for largely by the amount of money that is being sent out of New Zealand for investment purposes. The senior partner in an old-established firm of solicitors told me that he had had reluctantly to advise a relative who had some money for investment to send it to Australia.

"Daily newspapers right throughout the main towns of New Zealand frequently and fearlessly express their views against the Socialistic policy," Mr. McKcnzie added, "and one cannot overlook the extremely fair and just tone of their analysis."