RULE BY PEOPLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23161, 6 October 1938, Page 15

RULE BY PEOPLE

PRIVILEGE IN DANGER MR. HAMILTON'S VIEW FUTURE IN VOTERS' HANDS VITAL ISSUES TO DECIDE [bt telegraph—own correspondent] INVERCARGILL, Wednesday ■ "In the final show down, it is you people who rule this country, not us," stated the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, speaking at Lumsden. "Democracy is a wonderful privilege, tho privilege of self-govern-ment. It is wise for tis to equip ourselves, and unless our votes are cast with a due sense of responsibility we may lose that self-government.

"Wo have come to a new stand. We have an extreme Government in office and one with extreme ideas, and they are putting them into effect. The Labour Government has passed some drastic laws and used up a good deal of the cash reserves of this country." Newfoundland's Example

Mr. Hamilton said that if the people did not carry the responsibility of selfgovernment they might lose it. One British country had lost its democracy. This was Newfoundland. It had been a democracy, with its main wealth in fishing and timber. Newfoundland, under its own self-government, democracy, started to expand its expenditure by casting aside the wealthproducing industries of the land.; "Huge sums were spent on public works, aerodromes and other works. The cash resources and credit of the country' were used up. Newfoundland was at the end of her tether and asked Britain for advice. A'commission was set up and at the present time Newfoundland is being governed, by a commission. There were ho more elections: self-government had gone. ! j , : Heading the Same Way

"We are heading the same way and it is wonderful hoW .some people are influenced .by some pleasant promises of good things and'soiim gifts," said Mr. Hamilton. "We have-to see .that these factors do hot influence the election. We want to see that Newfoundland's experience docs'not'happen here. The ohly way to stop it is to see that we carry the due responsibilities of self-government, . the ' wonderful privilege which we prize and value and must fight to maintain. "The Labour - Government * to-day is pursuing the same course as Newfoundland did. It is spehding on all sides on public works, which draws away the primary producers' reserve strength which enables the producers to, carry on; ? : Vital. Issues "The election' this year is not one to decide party Issues, but it is a real political fight, and there are some vital issues and vital differences between the two parties," Mr. Hamilton added; "A difficult question is to keep the country people from drifting into the cities,- but why is it they leave the land ? The: reason is that we have not provided suitable land for them to own and suitable housing in country districts." :

Continuing, Mr. Hamilton said thero were large areas suitable for subdivision and there was nothing which ought "to bo done more earnestly and more enthusiastically, than establishing people on tho land by giving tho necessary financial assistance. .Houses should be built, not in the cities, but in the country,. and land subdivided so that young people would stay on the tend. Couples• who wanted to get married in the country should be assisted, and it was the State's place to do this. ,\

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS ; NATIONAL PARTY'S POLICY An outline of the National Party's policy was given by the National candidate - for Auckland Suburbs, Mr. Maxwell S. Walker, in his address to about 120 electors at Blockhouse Bay last night. Mr. W. Wheaton presided. Mr. Walker said that he was opposed with the rest of his party to the principle of compulsory unionism, but that he favoured preferential treatment for unionists. At the conclusion a motion of thanks to the candidate was passed.