THE CHOICE BEFORE THE ELECTORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22738, 26 November 1935, Page 8

THE CHOICE BEFORE THE ELECTORS

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —For a few weeks every three years the ordinary man in the street becomes suddenly aware of the vital part he plays in the management of his own country. Along with thousands of others, he is asked to cast his vote in the manner which he considers best. After a month of electioneering, with the fateful Wednesday close at hand, the most phlegmatic voter is naturally excited, whilst others have definitely reached fever heat. This is very obvious from the highly inflammable speech made by our Labour friend at Woodhaugh. His remarkably audacious and indiscreet disclosures make one feel lie should have been addressing a mass of Russian workers, instead of wasting such revolutionary utterances on a stable British community. If such is Labour's policy, and the offender is to be taken at his word, is it any wonder why Mr Lang and party were ejected and why Britain returned such a large Conservative majority? I do not think that political Labour will ever be a success, as the majority of its adherents would not be satisfied under any Government. The Democrats again arc endeavouring to seduce electors with fantastic promises in the hope that we may " fall for it" as we did with the United Party. To the intelligent elector the alternatives are that he must give his vote in favour of a Nationalist or give it to an Independent of proved integrity.—l am. etc., First Vote.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I am sorry to say that many people seem to be unable to put first things first. The Labour Party stands for the rights of flesh and blood as against those of property—that is. it puts the rights of flesh and blood before those of property, and for that reason deserves the support of decent-thinking men and women. I for one am not prepared to support a Government which at the height of the depression expected a man to support himself, wife, and child on the beggarly sum of 18s 9d a week; hie rent amounted to more than half of this sum, and he had little or no chance of outside employment owing to_ the number who were in the same position as he Mas. The farmers of this country are producing the necessaries of life, not the luxuries. How can it be to their advantage to have a large proportion of the population go short of the means of procuring these necessaries? Is not the local market the best for tlfeir products, and should not it be supplied in full before any thought is bestowed on markets overseas? How can the local markets be supplied fully unless everyone has sufficient of the currency to get his requirements? The Labour Party is putting forward a policy for the orderly marketing of our products, which should receive the endorsement of all who have the betterment of our economic condition at heart. The present Government's methods are too haphazard, as, for instance, the high exchange which helps many at the expense of the worker through the increase in the cost of living, and helps some who have not the least need for it. We have, of course, been enjoying a period of increased prosperity of late, but then it seems rather strange that this should coincide with general elections in Canada, Britain, and New Zealand. Is there some great unseen power which can command a return to prosperity at any opportune time? Nothing has yet been done of a permanent nature to prevent a return to the chaotic conditions of recent years, and unless we arc prepared to take risks we are 'all never likely to be able to prevent the return of conditions such as we have suffered from this last few years. "Nothing risked, nothing gained" is a good and true proverb in the commercial world. Why should it not be just as good in the political scheme of things? I favour Labour principles as against national principles.—l am, etc., Mosgiel, November 25. F. R. IT.vi.r..