INTEREST IN POLITICS

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1930, Page 12

INTEREST IN POLITICS

BUSINESS AIEN CRITICISED. t OPINIONS. .OF HON. J. B. DONALD. An appeal to business men to take a greater interest in the government of the country was made by the Post-master-General, Hon. J. B. Donald, in an address to the Napier Rotary Club. “The men who take the least interest in politics,” said Mr.. Donald, “are the business, men. Only, when the shoe pinches or on such an occasion as the issue of a Budget do. they wako up. When it comes to standing .for Parliament they usually let the other man do it. If this country is going to prosper the business community has got to wake up to the fact that large interests are at stake.

“It is easy for a Government to spend money, because it is spending someone clso’s, More business men are wanted in Parliament. If they were more interested they would be „inore familiar with affairs. All along the line the. business community is the first to suffer from any trouble, yet wo have only one or two business men in Parliament. Men who have minds of their own and men wh'o know what they are doing are wanted. I am satisfied that if you have men who have made & success of their own lives you will get people to vote for them.

“Some of the troubles that New Zealand has experienced of late would have been obviated and wo could face the position with more confidence than we are doing had we more business men in polities. It is to be emphasised that individual Parliamentarians represent the whole country. Even members of the Cabinet get the idea into their heads that the country cannot do without them, instead of realising that they represent the Dominion as a whole. The electors have a duty even to a man they have not supported to help to maintain the standard at which they have aimed. It is up to the men and women to support the Parliamentarians. I do not like to be called a politician,” said- Mr. Donald. “It always savours of something-that is not quite straight.

“It is an unfortunate position, because the greatest compliment a district can pay to a man is to elect him. as its representative. When a member of Parliament is mentioned people usually shrug their shoulders and say ho is in it for something. They are insulting themselves and their own judgment.” The view that the standard of politicians was not so high as it. was 20 or 30 years ago was expressed by Mr. Donald, who held that the eause of such a state of affairs was with the people. “They should look up to their politicians more,” he said. “If they tell their man he lias a good .reputation he will' try to live up to it. If they snigger at him he will say, ‘I will be what they want me' to be.’ ” «