ELECTION ISSUES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25301, 11 August 1943, Page 2

ELECTION ISSUES

INDEPENDENT GROUP'S CHARGE DENIED ACCESS TO SOLDIERS OVERSEAS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Aug. io. The following telegram was sent to the Prifne Minister, Mr P. Fraser, today by Mr A. P. Harper, Dominion secretary of the Independent Group:— “A week ago we asked that an election committee representing all election interests should be set up to ensure that all received fair and equal treatment in the facilities provided for informing service personnel overseas of election issues. You replied that our views had been noted and would receive consideration. A week has gone by, but nothing has been heard. Less than seven weeks now remain before the election, and it. will be virtually impossible for .policies and opinions to be printed and distributed to the troops in all overseas theatres of war in this time. The Independent Group has so far not received one word of advice of the proposed arrangeCan you deny that you have heOd discussions with the Leader of the Op position? Can you deny that the political parties are preparing their material accordingly? Can you deny, in short that the parties are prepared and ready to present their cases to overseas service personnel? Can you deny that this material is not already on the way overSC “ We ask these questions because we believe the country has the right to know whether the democratic privileges of the men overseas are being guarded by the parties, or whether they are being usurped by the parties. New candidates and new election issues have a special claim for consideration, because the men overseas will naturally know little'of them. To deny these men access to the claims or such candidates is to deny a fundamental principle of democracy. “ Because the Independent Group is attacking the party system, and because you have entered into an agreement with the Opposition, the Independent Group lays the charge that you are deliberately protecting the Pfty by attempting to exclude the views of the Independent Group from the service personnel overseas. Party candidates. 1 Including yourself, will knowingly have I an unfair advantage over their Independent opponents. We can see in your election manoeuvring nothing more man an attempt to place the Independent Group at the greatest possible disadvanta«lf the troops overseas are to be denied the opportunity of hearing our case presented by our own spokesmen in our own way we shall press these charges before the people, before the next-of-kin, and before the returning troops. _ A similar telegram was sent to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, who, the Independent Group states, merely acknowledged receipt of its earlier request. The spokesman of the Independent Group alleges that Mr Holland is working hand-in-glove with the Prime Minister in this matter, and adds: “It' will make little difference to the country whether the Labour or the National Party rules. It will, however, make a vital difference if we rid the Government of party control. That is the real issue of this election.”