SOCIALISTIC LEGISLATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 24, 23 August 1928, Page 3

SOCIALISTIC LEGISLATION.

Sir,—probably you i u common with great numbers of farmers and the general public lnl'e noted wifi satisfaction the crumbs of ne'.s which fall from the Control Board's table. We were' informed that it had been decided to ask the Minister of Agriculture to delete clauses 6 and 8 from it he dairy export licenses. These clauses relate to giving particulars of f.o.b. sales in the Dominion and supplying copies of account sales, and granting powers of audit in London. While we accept with satisfaction this vindication of the policy of the Free Marketing League, we must not be gulled into the belief that all is well. Our thanks are clue and tendered to the members of the Board who were elected under the banner of the League for !their services (particularly Mr 'Hlne), and more especially to those farmers whose votes placed them (in the position they occupy. Our contentions have been proved to be sound and the policy of the Board J is now based upon them. The P r e- I sent, position is a most striking justification of our opposition, but our work is not yet completed. The Dairy Produce Export Control Act ;remains practically unaltered on the Statute Book of ithis Dominion, the most socialistic and unconstitutional product of Now Zealand legislation. The Act delegates pow- 5

ers (o the Cojxih'ol Board which should never be transferred from Hie hands of the supreme governing body, Parliament itself. It was passed throifgh Hie House by the aid of the Labour Party, and who can blame that parly -1' it takc\? (his product of a. Reform; Government as an example and precedent, for similar adventures in cvher directions. As there does not appear to be the slightest indication Of any Intention of the Government to either repeal or reconstruct the Dairy Produce Export, Control Act, we can only presume it is to remain unaltered. This being so, electors are faced with a at the approaching election; one which will take some hard thinking j before the least of two or more evils I can be definitely ascertained. We are advised to refrain from making friends with the Labour Party because of its socialistic and nationalising policy which it would apply to all and sundry, but truth com--1 pels us to admit they are at any rale honest about it. We are asked to give our support to the Reform Party, as it is the friend of the farmer and guarantors of good Government, but wo cannot forget the Control Bill and all it has cost us. Memory records the many partisans, including , the Minister- of Agriculture, who assured us our opposition was needless, and uncalled for, as the .compulsory clauses would never be put into operation; they were, only in the Act in the position of a policeman, etc., etc. We know what happened, and we think of promises and pie crusts, and cynically attempt a new proverb, "the assurances of some men, like whisky, keep .best in bond." J Pondering over the situation then, and now, we are led i'o .exclaim: "A plague upon your parties and party slogans." Useful to a certain extent we grant, but when carried to excess, we know from experience how harsh and unjust their rule can be. We will vote for men, not partisans; men who are straight forward and have enough grist in them to -stand up for their own convictions, crack the party whip ever so viciously. Men who realise they are men, and must remain, men if they •' are to be true.' to themselves and their constiuents.-; : The so-called men whose manhood fades, into the; background of, mere party politics we can no longer afford to - support.—l am, etc:, : -GEORGE GIBSON. Rahotu, - August 21,,'1923.