BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 11

BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

To the Editor.

Sir, —What a bewildering time we are living in! The political candidates are now busy, and nearly all our conversations begin or end with some reference to the political problem. Candidates’ meetings are now in full swing. I have been to a few already, and I notice an element of bitter rivalry creeping into some of the candidates’ speeches. It looks to me like a matter of “I don’t care what I tell you if I can get your vote.” Fair criticism is quite all right, but when it comes to mudslinging, tire public should beware of the slinger. Let me say here, Mr Editor, that it is one of the easiest things in the world to sit in one’s armchair and criticize the doing of the other fellow, like backing the winners when the race is won. We can all do that, but when it comes to concrete business I am afraid many of the present would-be politicians would be sadly deficient ia parliamentary business acumen. One party has gone so far as to publish a paper of its own, setting forth its policy—in promises, but the other party cannot afford to go so far and must depend partly upon public subscriptions to carry on its campaign. Let me here say that the local Press has been fair and unbiased to all parties, although each individual paper has its own opinion. Although I was a keen Labour supporter in England for many years, and derived much knowledge of political matters during my association with the party, I would like to say here that from my experience of New Zealand political affairs, I do not think it wise fb return a Labour Government to power. The other party is only of mushroom growth and is'all bunkum and balderdash. The reason I would not elect a Labour Government is this: directly a Labour Government is elected capital is withheld and prosperity is retarded. Another reason is that many of the Labour candidates have not the business ability to warrant them handling the resources of the country. Many are extremists, and sooner or later fall by the way. Although they may all be good, honest, Christian men with the good of their country and its people at heart, it is impossible for them to fight and conquer all the evils, such as greed and selfishness, existing in the country and world to-day. The modern exigencies do not warrant throwing over a tried and stabilized Government. The rmrest in the world to-day is one of the greatest factors for keeping existing Parliaments in power. The signs of the times are such that every observant person must know that we cannot afford to have this Dominion in a state of political unrest. All the nations of the world are prepared, or are preparing, for war, and nearly every magazine or newspaper contains some reference to the disease of countries seeking outlets for their surplus people. It has even been suggested that Britain should allow her colonies to be peopled by foreigners. Britain’s power is beginning to wane. The League of Nations is looked upon as a failure. Why? Because its present members will depart from it as soon as they see an opportunity for self-aggrandizement. According to Bible prophecies, all Europe will combine to attack Russia and Palestine leaving Britain and her colonies to assist the attacked—l Thess., 5, verse 3: “For when they shall say, peace and safety, then cometh sudden destruction upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” Lo, Mr Editor, with all these things staring us in the face, is it wise to take any chances with a change of Government? The present members have had a wearing and worrying term of office, and I question if any other party could have steered us through the times in anything like the satisfactory way we have witnessed. If all the prophecies in the Bible are now due to fulfilment, then it will tax the ingenuity of our best men to keep this Dominion in a state of safety and contentment. I hope that every person who has a vote will give considerable thought to the placing of his vote on

November 27. So many young people do not consider what they are doing when they go to the poll.—l am, etc. PATRIA CARA, CORIOR ÜBERTUS.