GENERAL ELECTION REFLECTIONS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21179, 28 October 1938, Page 11

GENERAL ELECTION REFLECTIONS

To the Editor 01 " The Timaru Herald ” Sir,—May I make a few remarks anent the late election? It is clear that the voice of the people was against the National Party. That Party have now to find out the reason for this want of confidence. But is it a want of confidence? Is it not rather that the Labour Party understand mob psychology better than we do? The radio talks of the various Government speakers attacking us, on the hardships of the slump period, the semistarvation endured by the many while the few rolled by in their motor cars—mob psychology appealing to the lower jealousies of man’s nature and ignoring the real solid progress made by industry and agriculture during that period. This “dope’’ was good electioneering, if, rather dubious morality. However, it went home and we were badly left. The Social Security (I had nearly written National Insecurity) Bill was good electioneering, appealing as it did to the many to lean upon the few. I do not think any sincere wellwisher of the National Party is sorry now that the verdict went against us, harder times ahead. Industrial and financial difficulties are almost at our door, and it may be well to let our Labour friends "insulate” the country against a drop in overseas prices, and generally steer the ship through a stormy period. We shall be well content to hold a watching brief and be quite unperturbed at Labour’s difficulties, perhaps not the least of these being domestic Indigestion. When the “spending for prospe-’.ty” boom reaches its climax and there is no more real money in the chest to carry on these extravagant theories, the people of these enchanting isles will turn against their Labour bosses and the last state of that Party will be worse than the first. Possibly it may be the end of them. The National Party can then take a hand and try to evolve order out of chaos. We shall then have no promissory implications to study. We can come in as trustees in charge, and gather the remnants together as best we may. But the electors of New Zealand must be prepared for hard and difficult times, these are inevitable now. While New South Wales is steadily forging ahead reducing taxation, instilling genuine thrift, our country under Labour is steadily slipping back. It is a duplicate of the Christchurch Tramway finances again. The National Party offered a soundly built organisation greater than e-.—r before, a liberal and progressive policy and a band of new young virile candidates of undoubted ability and personality under a sincere and wise leader. These have been turned down for a temporary spurious prosperity which is already causing some concern. As regards the future, it is imperative that the organisation built up so thoroughly should be kept In being, perhaps only in skeleton form, but at any rate ready to be expanded at early notice. It is in the country that our best strength lies, and the Party or-

ganisation in the country should be kept alive by every means in our power. The lessons of hard work, thrift and careful economy learnt by us at our mother’s knees, are not yet dissolved by the airy platitudes of Mr Savage or the fiery Socialism of Mr Lee. A country, like an individual, has to work to live, and if we forget that dictum we deserve what is coming to us. We of the National Party can be absolved of any blame, as we offered our services and have been rejected, we can now watch the inevitable march of events. Watch the Rake’s Progress through all the usual phases, and hop® that sanity will ..come before it is too late.—l am, etc., A.P.