PARTY POLITICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23083, 7 July 1938, Page 17

PARTY POLITICS

Sir, —1 hope that the many critics of the system of party politics will give full credit to the founders of the New Zealand National Party for their genuine attempt in May, to form a party which would overcome the many shortcomings of the old party ; system. These National reformers have ! done much to change the whole face of I politics in this country, and to place them on a healthier, more democratic and more inspiring basis. A system of Independent members pledged to carry out the wishes of the ; electorates has been advocated by many j of your correspondents; but, as others I have pointed out, no member of Parj liament can be so purely independent as Ito carry out the wishes of all his electors all the time. It is not within the bounds of practical politics for him to have a referendum of his electors before each occasion he casts his vote in the House, to ascertain what the wishes of his electorate are. The most we can hope for is a member of Parliament who wilj adhere to those broad principles upan which the electors returned him to office. Can electors complain if they have a say in what those principles are going to be, and what persons are going to carry them out;' Surely not. The New Zealand National Party offers these advantages by its democratic constitution as follows:—1. The members of the party, through their j elected committees, enunciate the ; policy. As there are already over I JOO.OOO enrolled members in all walks : of life, it cannot be said of the party j that it is subservient to or comprised of any vested or sectional interest or group. 2. Any member, if duly nominated and seconded, may offer himself for selection ,as a candidate ;3. The members in each electorate choose their candidate from among those offering their services to the public. There can be no suggestion of a candidate being "given" to the electorate by the party, as in the "good" old days. I would correct a wrong statement made by many Labour members to the effect that the New Zealand National Party is so devoid of support that it must advertise for candidates. There has. never been such a flood of candidates offering. The advertisements which have misled our opponents are the advertisements inserted in newspapers according to the constitution advising the closing date of nominations as candidates.

Bryan Kingston. Swanson Street, Auckland;