THREAT TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 280, 25 November 1937, Page 4

THREAT TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

- : GOVERNMENT’S SOCIALIST POLICY. CONTRAST WITH LIBERAL IDEALS. The threat of Socialism to private enterprise and individual security was emphasised by Mr. W. A. Bodkin, M.P., speaking at Martinborough on Friday night. Mr. Bodkin pointed out that many people were inclined to believe that the socialistic policy of the Government was only an advanced form of Liberalism; such was not the case. The Government was striving to overthrow the capitalistic system, while the policy of Liberals was to permit all classes of private enterprise to function successfully. The Liberal Party, when in office, did everything possible to promote the investment of private capital, ana sought to help every man to become a successful unit in the capitalistic system. An outstanding example was the land policy of the Liberal Party, which had for its object security of tenure tor the man on the land. Later, when the State Advances Department was established, it provided cheap money on long-term table mortgage, to enable every farmer to become the owner of his own land. All the leaders of the Liberal Party in. the past were supporters of private enterprise. The Socialistic State could only be built out of the ruins of all the privately-owned businesses and institutions which had prospered under the Liberal regime. liberty of the Subject. The Socialistic State was opposed to the principles of democracy. The history of the growth of the democratic State was the history of the British Constitution. The foundation principles of true democracy demanded the preservation of the rights and liberties of the individual—his personal liberty, his freedom of speech and conscience, and his right to his own property.: Every democracy provided its courts of justice to secure for the in-dividual-even against the State itself —the full enjoyment of his rights. Socialism, on the other hand, brushed aside the rights of the individual and substituted the supreme right of the State to order the lives of individuals in such manner as was deemed by those in authority to be most expedient for the welfare of the State as a whole. As authority had to be vested in some individual, or group of individuals or dictators, who were for the time being in charge of the political machine. All who valued freedom and desired to preserve it .should join up with the National Party at once. The National Party sought to be truly national and democratic in its outlook and constitution. It was pledged to support private enterprise, and to preserve to the people full right of appeal to the courts. It recognised that the greatest service that a Government could render the community was to so govern the country that the people could help themselves. Test of Government. The absorption of all workers into the industries of the country was the best test of good government, and it must be admitted that the present Government had failed in this respect. The legislation of the Government had not helped the unemployed to sell their labour to any employer in New Zealand. The National Party recognised that the fanners should get the same reward for their labour and their capital as those employed in other industries. It also believed that there was still considerable room for expansion in primary production, and that a vigorous land settlement policy was essential to provide oportunities for the young men of ihe Dominion. The National Party believed that the best wages and conditions ot labour should be provided, but the

test should be the ability of industry to pay. Wages and conditions of labour should therefore be determined by the Arbitration Court, which would investigate every detail and safeguard the Interests of the worker, the employer and the consumer. Taxation was one of the obstacles to complete recovery in New Zealand to-day, and in his opinion, it was essential that there should be a substantial reduction in taxation without delay. The Australian States had Hide substantial reductions in taxation, end authorities the world over now agreed that, of all nations, Australia was the first to emerge completely from slump conditions.