STATE SOCIALISM

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25289, 24 August 1945, Page 9

STATE SOCIALISM

CLASS DISTINCTIONS

TRENDS IN DOMINION NATIONAL PARTY OPPOSITION (0-C) WELLINGTON, Thursday The National Party's attitude 'to current and future problems was defined today by Mr W. J. Sim, K.C.. in his address as president of the eighth annual conference of the party. "The National Party," he said, "holds the view, and will maintain it to the end. that the total State or State Socialism means the extinction of the free Now Zealand spirit, which has been progressively repressed until now it has almost lost the heart to stand up and fight for its existence. "The New Zealand National Party," continued Mr Sim, "is the answer, and is a call to all New Zealanders, joung and old and of every occupation and class, to throw off the oppression and repression of State interference and control, which all hut paralyses the country. In these post-war years prompt decision and action are imperative, and with the experience of the past ten years before us we know that there is just no place for further experimenting with State Socialism and its increasing confusions. Seeds of Bitterness "The fanning of class distinctions is also to be deplored, and we maintain itrorigly that it is possible to reduce practical Christianity to some form of organised political thought and action without breeding and agitating a narrow sectionalism. Along that road lies no social peace and no united endeavour of the whole country, nor will it lie ill sowing further seeds of bitterness iii trifling with the electoral system as is now suggested in connection with the abolition of the country quota. However much any States of the Old World Keek solace or hope in State Socialism, it is not the gospel of a young, vigorous State such as New Zealand, which lias now a dawning sense of independent nationhood and which has yet wholly to discover itself." The object of the party, Mr Sim said, must he toward releasing the energy of the community into creating new wealth and to giving every man and woman an opportunity to make his or her individual contribution, in addition to obtaining and retaining his or her fair share. On the way to this objective the party proposed to observe certain principles which had been lost sight of in recent years. Restraints on Legislature One was that, although the Constitution Act gave the Legislature the widest powers to make laws for the peace, order and good government of New Zealand, this Constitution must be understood as being subject to certain unwritten checks or controls. It could not rest with any Government in a true democracy to use it without check or restraint, justifying the results as being tor the supposed peace, order and good government of the country. Vital changes radically altering the way of life of the community, and amounting almost to revolution in a past way of thought and life, should take place only after the change in question had been explicitly placed before the people in a form which showed that the will of (the majority, addressed to that particular change, was clear and unequivocal. Rule by Caucus "Democracy, if it is to survive," Mr Bim said, "cannot mean that the lives of its constituents and their way of life are to be the plaything of any group which for the moment has managed to capture, by a] 1 the means available for the purpose, the control of the legislative machine. It will be the object ol the National Party's endeavours to respect this principle." Mr Sim said the party would also seek to curtail the Legislature's interference with the ordinary affairs of New Zealand men and women. Again, every ifiember of the party had freedom to act according to his own ideas on any particular piece of legislation. The partv adhered to the principle that a Left or anv other wing of a caucus outside Parliament and dictating to responsible Ministers and representatives of the people was at variance with British idefs of representative government. If it continued it would he the death blow to democracy. ~ "As the sheet anchor to democracy, Mr Sim said, "we place absolute emphasis upon obedience by the subject to the rule of law and its enforcement by the executive. The law of the land is there t-o be enforced without favour regardless of the wrongdoer The decision to put the machinery of enforcement into operation should M tti to ma tic as the decision of the <«urt« themselves in enforcing the law as it w Committed to them."

FALSE PRETENCES

USE OF BAD CHEQUES Ten charges of false pretences were admitted by Harold Alexander McNeil, aped 42, labourer, who came before Mr Justice Cornish yesterday. The charges Concerned goods and money obtained irith valueless cheques. It was nothing in prisoner s favour that he had not engaged in dishonest practices until he was over 39 years or Le, said His Honor. The amounts in the present charges totalled about £l-0, but be would take into account that .the offences occurred in a short period between May and June of this J!? ar - , , Prisoner was sentenced to 12 montni reformative detention. STATE-OWNED SHIPS POLITICS IN BUSINESS When a Government departs from its proper fields of activity, and sees possibilities of competing in trade and commerce with existing business enterprises, there is hardly any limit to the price that will be paid tor a Socialist adventure. A classic experiment of the kind was the Government-owned Common wealth Shipping Line in Australia. It was established in IS>l G —— in the middle ol World War I.—and nourished lor a few vears under lavourable circumstances. Alter ID2I the line steadily lost money, and the Government reOrganised the business under tin: control of the CJoimiioiiwetiltli Shipping Board. Although tlio capital was written down by £3.000,()()(), the line continued to lose hall a million a year. This could not go on for ever, bo eventually the ships were sold. Jhe ultimate loss to Australian Liapayors was £8.12 lID. A significant factor in this experiment in State Socialism was the attitude of the workers concerned. A report published at tin time said: '"J heir employer was not the execrated capitalist, but the nation at large; they enjoyed the best conditions in the world. Yet with singular perversity they have waged against the line a ruthless vendetta. The line has a doleful record of strikes, pinpricks, efforts at job control, and general indiscipline. The losses that have been incurred have been caused in some part by the periodical hold-ups." There is the story of a Socialist experiment in the control of one sector 'of the means of product ion, distribution, ami exchange." State ownership and control is no guarantee of efficiency or of improved service to the community. It lacks the spirit of initiative. "drive." sagacity and service that is charaeterislie of free enterprise. Political considerations do not blend with business management. In spite ol the lessons of experience, our Socialistminded Government is determined to take over the Bank of New Zealand find the Internal Air Services. Who are likely to benefit? Again it will be the public that pays.—Adrt. 1