POLITICAL POLICIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17503, 27 February 1931, Page 11

POLITICAL POLICIES

COUNTRY PARTY IDEALS SIMILARITY TO REFORM DANGER OF SPLIT VOTE. “We find not only in this country, but elsewhere also, that when, as a result of economic depression, clouds darken the economic outlook, many more candidates offer themselves for selection in various electorates,” said the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. Leader of the Opposition, at a social gathering at Arapohue, North - Auckland. “Among them are those who claim independence from party and who put forth the highest ideals,” he continued, “but history teaches that it is impossible for a man bn his own in Parliament to do any good.” The speaker himself, who had first entered Parliament as an independent, had made that discovery before long. There was the Labor Party with its very definite aims. The history of

all Liberal parties had shown that they always had taken the middle course and now the Country Party had entered. A voice: That’s the one.

"If the Cauatry Party wants to

come into the fray, no one will complain,” said Mr. Coates. “If it has planks it Is right of the Country Party to tell people, but there is this aspect. I am convinced that if any- / one will .make an Impartial examinaAf tion of the Reform and Country Party y, platforms they will be amazed at the similarity.” A voice: We have only your word for that. >

Mr. Coates: I am prepared to give you that word and to read, both platforms oiit to you, if you desire. (Applause.l One plank upon which the two parties differed was that dealing with the policy of free trade, continued Air. Coates. The Reform Party held that while free trade might be an ideal it was not possible of accomplishment, but it said that as long as it was able to reduce the duty on materials essential to primary production that was all that was possible at present. The Country Party supporters might say why not do away with the customs and substitute a primage duty, but that was the same thing. “If the present Government does

not remedy the position, I hope the people of New Zealand will back up a party strong enough to do so ” Air. Coates said. It would be admitted by the great b«Jk of the Country Party men aMi fc* their lenders, he continued, that the Reform Party more closely approached the ideals of the Country Party than did any other of the pastes. In that light it would be apparent that in a contest in which bom Reform and Country Party representatives were concerned an advantage would, be offered, to a representative of any party not in sympathy with the Reform or Country policies. That was a danger against which people should be warned.— Auckland Herald-