THE NEW ZEALAND LEGION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22099, 1 November 1933, Page 5

THE NEW ZEALAND LEGION

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Those people who are disposed to judge the legion’s lapses charitably are beginning to feel a little irritated at its continual failure tp face- facts. Its letter to-day is no exception, though I am • pleased- to get one definite policy statement in it—-namely, that the legion is in favour of the Central Bank. It says it is not opposed to it; therefore it must be for it. The legion’s continual talk about a free vote and party Government ignores all the facts associated with the election of the present Government. The Coalition Government is not a party uovernment. When a party goes to the polls it states its policy and asks the people to vote for or against its policy. Coalition had no policy. Mr Forbes asked for a blank cheque: he asked the people to send men to Parliament pledged to vote as Mr Forbes thought fit. The people did so. The present Coalition members of Parliament went to Parliament pledged to vote as Mr Forbes thought fit, and it passes all my comprehension ,to see why all the fuss ia being made because those men are proving to us that their word is their bond. Even though I may not agree with a man’u politics, I respect him for keeping his word. In party government a man does not vote against his convictions because the policy which is to be followed is sent out before the election and, if lie does not agree with that policy he does not become a candidate for that party, I think we could well give present members credit for being men of their word, and if we now realise that we should not have elected them to do as Mr Forbes thinks fit, then we should be men enough to face facts and lay the blame where it belongs —namely, on our own shoulders. —1 am, etc.. Omega. Kurow, October 30.