GOVERNMENT BY PROXY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17609, 27 October 1931, Page 12

GOVERNMENT BY PROXY

(To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir,—ln a recent debate in Parliament the members of the Labor-Socialist Party waxed indignant over Mr. Forbes’ charge that they were subject to outside control. Tire accusation was perfectly correct because the constitution of LaborSocialist parties all over the Empire provide for the complete control by the executive of the machine. 'J his' control has been exercised so openly on various occasions that it is ridiculous for the party to deny the fact.' The most barefaced examples have been ill Australia, for instance, when Mr. Storey was Prime Minister of New South Wales'; he and liis fellow members were called upon by the executive of the A.L.P. to explain their actions. Mr. Scuilm also lias been dictated to in the same way even to having his Ministers selected for mm While in England the Trade. Union Congress went so far, this year., as to insist that tne budget proposals be submitted to it- for approval. This caused the great alarm in England, because it is an inviolate custom that no one outside the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister shall know what is to he included ill the Budget. To allow tihe information to get outside would open the door to unscrupulous persons to make fortunes at the expense of the public. Jn New Zealand we have seen on two occasions city councilors, elected on the “Labor” ticket, called to judgment by the Labor Representation Committee to attend and explain their conduct, and censured for voting according to their convictions.