VITAL ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23060, 10 June 1938, Page 14

VITAL ISSUE

CHOICE FOR ELECTORS socialism or freedom MR. w. P. ENDEAN'S -VIEWS j LABOUR'S POLICY ATTACKED " New/ Zealand has its last chance it the next general ejection to decide whether it will go on the full, road to socialism or stand up for individuality,, thrift and the rights of people to be free," said Mr. W. P. Endean, M.P.; for Parnell, when addressing a meeting of 300 supporters of the National Party in the Remuera Library last night. Mr. L. K. Munro, chairman of the Remuera branch of the National Party, presided, !; and the meeting was completely free from interjections. Mr. Endean said the political situation justified careful consideration, and it behoved the supporters of the National Party to keep their heads and put their right foot forward to overthrow the state of socialism that hadj threatened New Zealand in the lust j three years. A lot of common senso; was .preached by the leader and members of the National Party. Moreover, j the greatest men in politics were not always those who talked the most.

Electors and Running Shoes

" The -rank and file of New Zea-' landers are fed up with the socialism to which they have been introduced during Labour's reign," continued Mr. Endean. "There are some running shoes being made in New Zealand at the present'"time, and the electors of New Zealand are going to hand out a lot; of them at the election in September or October.

" We are told that the Dominion is the paradise of the Pacific. It is the fool's patadise of the Pacific. What else can it be—the highest-taxed country in the world?" added Mr. Endean. He, pointed put that New Zealanders paid nearly £4 a head-more in .taxation than the people of Britain and about £5 more than those of New South Wales. Defence expenditure cost the people of the Dominion only about £1 a head, compared with £8 in England and £2 in Australia.

Costly Superannuation Scheme

Referring to the proposed national Superannuation scheme as "the superpension scheme," Mr. Endean said it was going to cost New Zealand £5,500,,000 in extra taxation to carry it into effect. The Labour Government assumed that unemployment had ceased, although £5,000,000 was still being spent annually and the problem remained unsolved. The Government also assumed that the national income would never recede from its present level, yet figures proved that in 1931 the national income dropped from £150,000,000 to £90,000,000. " How can the Government hope to insulate New"Zealand from income fluctuation?" Mr. Endean asked. "How will produce be disposed of in the Home market in the event of war, and what of the air danger ? The whole thing makes me feel that there is something entirely "wrong with the make-up of our people if they, believe in Labour's policy.. '.

Material for Comic Opera "How long is this comic opera going to last in New Zealand?" Mr. Endean continued. "Gilbert and Sullivan could have made' an opera concerning the 6tate of affairs in New Zealand that would have made the Mikado of Japan, Mussolini of Italy and Hitler of Germany rock with laughter, and they might have used the appropriate title of 'Utopia, New Zealand, Unlimited.' " Mr.-,, Endean concluded by appealing to Remuera supporters for their cooperation .jand financial assistance, referring to the sum oI £2OOO raised by the Marsden electorate "to fight socialism." He ' said that Remuera should be the cradle of political thought in New Zealand, and he expressed the hope that electors would put New Zealand, back on the political rails of common sense, as part of the British Empire, with its home, not in Moscow, but in London. An expression of confidence in Mr. Endean as member for the district was carried by acclamation, and the following new committee was elected: —Dr. R. Mcllroy, Messrs. L. K. Munro, G. Brownlie, D. L. Buchan, C. Fraser. T. Oliphant, T. C* Webb, C. A. Deuxberry, B. P. Stevenson, J. Dawson, R. Hutchinson, H. E. Barrowclough, F. Cox, E. v Elliott, F. E. McKenzie, C. L. Schroff, G. Uren, G. Mahoney, J. B. "Paterson, N. Mitchell and S. A. Burt. Mr. Bernard Morris was elected secretary and treasurer.