N.Z. LEGION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19511, 9 June 1933, Page 6

N.Z. LEGION

MEETING IN TIMARU. EXECUTIVE ELECTED. A public meeting was held in the Scottish Hall last night, under the auspices of the South Canterbury Division of the New Zealand Legion, and was presided over by Mr G. J. Wallace. There was an attendance of upwards of 300. Also on the platform were Messrs J. McGibbon, of Christchurch J. C. Kirkness, of Oamaru, and K. M. Gresson, of Christchurch, each of whom addressed the meeting. The chairman said that it must be gratifying to the organisers of the meeting to see such a large attendance of the public. He briefly introduced the speakers, and said that if they were as sincere in their desire to further the interests of the country as was the author of the movement, Dr. J. Campbell Begg, then he was sure that the speakers would give the audience much food for thought. Mr Wallace said that he had heard a good many rumours concerning the Legion, that if it progressed, some people might try to use it for illegal purposes. They would always find this in any sort of movement, and they should blame the individual and not the Society. Dr. Begg was trying to organise the political powers so that they will serve the best interests and welfare of the country, and no one could have a higher motive than that. Political Change Needed. Mr McGibbon prefaced his remarks with an outline of the origin of the Legion, on similar lines to an address by the Dominion organiser. Dr. R. Campbell Begg. It had been said that the organisation was going to be similar in purpose to the Nazis, Fascists, or New Guard, and that Dr. Begg was going to be a second Mussolini. Such was not the case, as those he knew were all in the Legion for the good of the country, and not for any mercenary motives. In explaining that the Legion proposed to do away with party politics altogether, Mr McGibbon said that at present it was all very well to blame the Government for the mess the country was in, but the responsibility of placing men in power rested with individual electors. It was true that Parliaments had spent money here and there—extravagantly at times—for the purpose of keeping themselves in power, and the Legion proposed to alter this system by supporting candidates whose hands were absolutely free, and who would act and vote impartially for the good of the Dominion as a whole. Evidence of the party system was to be had in connection with the recent exchange question, when one member, who spoke strongly against an increase in the rate, voted in favour of it when the Party whips cracked. The Legion sought to do away with constant deputations to Ministers. There was nothing military about the Legion, which was simply out to improve the political system by securing men of integrity and proven ability to act as legislators. “As businessmen, you know you would not employ some of the members of Parliament to-day,” he said. The better class man in the general run would not go into Parliament to become an automaton. The Legion did not desire persons seeking self aggrandisement, and while it was difficult to keep such persons out of the movement, it was the duty of members to see that no executive post came their way. It was time that politics were cleaned up in New Zealand. Bribery was rampant in the country, and had been for years in that Parliamentarians and Ministers had been voting the country’s funds to be spent in their own electorates in order to keep their jobs. New Zealand could now not meet her obligations, and if it had not been for the strength of the banks, the position would have been worse. Befor it w T as all over he forecasted that the banks would have to meet another big slump. In his opinion the Government were not doing sufficient to remedy the position, and it was time that competent men brought about a change. Parliament should be run on business lines, and the Legion, by supporting free men of ability could, if supported sufficiently, bring that about.

Growth of Movement. Mr Kirkness said that Mr McGibbon had covered a good deal of ground, but there was one thing worthy of repetition, and that was that within a few months the movement had spread from the North Cape to the Bluff. It had simply had a snowball effect. In the history of New Zealand, no movement had gained such force in so short a time. This was due to the fact that the people had begun to realise that the Parliamentary machine was incapable and unfit to deal with the problems of the day. The Parliamentary machine had become so clogged and was so cumbersome, that the motive power was incapable of driving it; indeed the motive power was fast drying up. Discussing the position the country had drifted into under the present system of Government, the speaker referred to the national and public debt. He said that in 1910, the total Rational and public debt was £91,000 000, but last year it had gone up £347,000,000. To put the position more plainly, the national debt, per head of population, had gone up from £3B in 1910 to £228 in 1932. Some people said that the war was partly responsible, but the war debt was only one-fifth of the total debt. The speaker next referred to the accumulation of fictitious wealth, and said that in 1910 the accumulated deposits in the trading and savings banks was £40.000,000. In 1920 they had gone up to £106,000.000, and all this had been built up as a result of the tremendous prices for products during the war years. This accumulation of money, with loans raised by spend-thrift Governments, had brought about the present chaotic state of affairs. There were three things which could be done. Either the country would have to increase its income, reduce its expenditure, or admit that it was bankrupt. The Government was but the reflex of the will of the people, and the people must take the blame. The change was going to be bitterly opposed by the old die-hard politicians, because the old conventions would be jettisoned, and the Legion was working hard to this end. If the people were going to be satisfied with the present party system, they would get a Government which would legislate for classes without due thought for the national welfare. The Legion depended for success on the combined efforts of people who were prepared to pool their political resources and work for a common goal, the rehabilitation of the Dominion. By doing that they would be giving an opportunity to people who were living on the dole to do a fair day’s work, and earn a fair living for themselves and their families. Another reform that was urgent w’as the cutting down of the number of representatives in the House. (Applause.) When it came, the country would be much better off. People might claim that the changes were idealistic. They might be, but they were capable of being carried out. Critics said that the Legion had no policy, but no democratic movement which w f as as young as the Legion could have a policy. Opportunity would be given members to study governmental methods, and decide what should be the programme and platform

of the Legion. The crisis was manmade, and it was not beyond man’s brains to put it right. (Applause.)

“No Party, and All Country ” Mr Gresson said that he had addressed a number of meetings, but he was still a little bewildered at finding himself on a platform talking, if not about politics, then about something closely allied. “Why are we going round speaking?” he asked. “Because we are alarmed at the present position, and we want to show the people that the Legion is offered to them as the pathway to better government.” What wa* the tale of the Legion? It had been much discussed, and much misunderstood. I They had been designated as Fascists and Guards of all sorts, but the Legion was a plain, sane, sober movement to i give the country better government. It claimed to be an emergency movement to meet a domestic crisis. As a member of the Economy Commission had said, it was State paternalism which was the primary cause of the present position, the world storm being only a secondary cause. When one looked at the facts, one saw a great deal to support this. Whether Governmental mismanagement in the past had been the primary cause or not, it must have accentuated the position. The speaker proceeded to discuss certain phases of parliamentary procedure, instancing Address-in-Reply debates, which he characterised as idle, useless, senseless chatter; money votes, and so on. The Legion aimed at rousing the electors to see that this sort of thing was stopped. Mr Gresson next read the aims and objects, as set out on the membership card, particularly stressing part of clause three . . . “freed from the trammels of sectional pressure and actuated solely by the motive of patriotic effort for the sake of the country.” He painted a word picture of the life of a parliamentarian, interviewing Ministers and attending to a hundred and one small requests, wdiich left him without any energy to devote to the interests of the country. The Legion sought to change all this. He asked the audience if they could not hear the call from the North Cape to the Bluff, “less party and more country” The Legion did not just echo this call, but said “no party, and all country.” That was the outlook the Legion put before the public. There was only one real enemy to the Legion, and that was apathy. (Applause.) Question Time. A written question was presented asking for an explanation of the method to be adopted in selecting candidates for general and local elections. Mr Gresson said he visualised that the position would be that, before a candidate was supported, he must be a qualified man. standing free and untrammelled. If unsatisfactory candidates were offering, the Legion could go to someone whom they thought better suited, and say that he had the support of say 10,000 Legion members if he would offer his services. There might be more than one man whom the Legion thought should be supported, and members would decide amongst themselves w’hich it should be. A second question asked if the Legion’s choice settled on one in a field of three candidates worthy of support, would members be expected to vote for that candidate if they did not agree with the selection. Mr Gresson replied that if the Legion agreed to support one candidate, members were expected to vote for the candidate selected. In reply to an inquirer. Mr McGibbon said that the matter of the Government refusing to allow civil servants to join the Legion was still being investigated by Dr. Campbell Begg. On the motion of Messrs K. S. Brown and R. Stewart, the speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks, a similar compliment being accorded the chairman. Executive Elected. Members of the Legion, and intending members, remained after the public meeting to elect an executive. Dr. W. R. Fea occupied the chair, and said that nominations had closed at 5 o’clock that evening, but opportunity would be afforded anyone present of making further nominations. The executive was to consist of ten members, and nine nominations had been received. Three or four names were suggested, but the persons nominated declined nomination, indicating that they had previously given reasons for not desiring a position on the executive, although they were willing to help in every other way possible. A further nomination was accepted, and the following were declared the executive: Dr. Fea. Messrs C. E. Kerr, J. H. Sinclair-Thomson, Robt. Wilson, R. H. Hill. Bruce Gillies. P. B. Foote, K. S. Brown, R. McD. Brown and V. Pike. The meeting concluded with the National Anthem.