PARTY.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2781, 28 November 1931, Page 4

PARTY.

(To the. Editor). Sir, —In your Thursday's issue appeared a statement from Sir James Parr which cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged. He is reported to have stated that the Country Party have not a single constructive idea in its programme and leave untouched the problems of balancing the Budget and unemployment. Strangely enough his chief, Hon. J. G. Coates, has reiterated time and again that there is no real difference between the two parties, Reform and Country, other than the tariff policy. As to the Budget and unemployment, two most grave symptoms to-day, the very gravity of them has made the Country Party more determined than ever to attack their causes, i. 0., the policy, of extravagance and waste, and protection of industry and capital through tariffs, and of labour through the industrial legislation. This policy of the two parties forming Coalition must cease. The remedy is a drastic reduction in costs of production in both primary and secondary industries and all services.

To-day average export values stand at actually under 1914 prices, whereas costs of production are still 50 per cent above pre-war. Were there no artificial props holding costs up, they would have receded in accordance with income. The actual and urgent problem to-day is to remove those props, which in the opinion of the Country Party, backed by economists the world over, is the tariff barriers raised against necessities from Britain, thus protecting industry and capital, and the Arbitration Court protecting labour. Hence we have the real agents of production held at a high artificial price, making it impossible for industry to employ labour. Can a continuance of this suicidal pol- • icy bo approved? The Country Party says no, and are determined to fight on until redress is given.—l am, etc., R. H. PEISST. P.S.—At Whatawhata on Wednesday night Sir James Parr was asked three questions, viz.: (1) Are you an Imperial free-trader? Answer: Yes. (2) How do you interpret Imperial free trade? Answer: Abolish tariffs on necessities as between N.Z. and Britain. (3) Are you prepared to advocate this? Answer: Yes; if graduated over a period y, of years. This, Sir, is the very kernel of Country Party’s programme.