THE ROAD TO SERFDOM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25870, 14 June 1945, Page 9

THE ROAD TO SERFDOM

Sir,—Herbert Spencer, in referring to policies which invade the human rights of personal liberty and the ideals of freedomloving people, makes the following enlightening and significant statements: it is this easy readiness to permit trespasses because it would be troublesome to oppose them which leads to the acquiescence m wrong and the decay of personal liberty, popular rights, and of democratic society. This warning should be seriously heeded by all who value such rights. Since the Labour Socialist Party has come into power it has been trekking along the road to reach its far-reaching revolutionary programme which means the nationalisation of certain services and civil occupations, such as the national ownership of land and distributing industries. The result is that the State displaces our farming population with its related industries, occupations, trade and commerce It means the elimination of the rights of individual ownership, economic freedom, and legitimate private enterprise. We would have in New Zealand ultimately all those services which make for the State-incarnate undlr which all life, social, industrial, and economic, will be regulated by a State-centralised power in the spirit of the drill-sergeant.

Thp heritage of being a free people with the devllopment of Individual character and personality with the democratfc ways of life will vanish in New Zealand It cannot be too strongly stressed’that whatever strength is possessed by a nation arises from the mental, moral, and spiritual strength of the individual Within the nation. The autocratic regimentation of the hard-working farmprs dairymen, and those on the land with their producing industries >'as | l ven rlsf to much resentment from tnose engagedin'such pursuits. Their opposition the nresent Government has been ereatlv increased because of the intention expressed by the Government’s revolutionnrv Socialist supporters, with theijr big political dub. to P r P ob the rural population for selfish party ends of the country auota This menace calls for the launching of a widespread opposition, team spirit —movement by all fair-minded people who realise that the stability and solid progress of New Zealand are in a large measure dependent on the farming population and the products of the soil. Take away the rural population in New Zealand with its products, and New Zealand will stagnate, and so also will other related industries, employment, business and trade. It is true to point out that for the growth and development of secondary industries, as well as to create new sources of wealth, liberal encouragement should be given to land settlement and industries in order to make a wider and a stronger foundation for secondary industries, I close with the following definition of agriculture:— Agrlcul'ure, man’s first and. best occuThe P grcatest science, the noblest art; It provides and maintains the warp and woof— , ~ The fabric of the world. To so understand its science, And so practice its art. As to cause the soil to yield its maxi' Comforts for this generation, Yet leave it richer for the next, i* A oossibility, A duty, , A worthy ideal, A great achievement. —I am, etc., Foresight. Dunedin, June 13.