DEMOCRATIC LIBERTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 103, 4 May 1938, Page 6

DEMOCRATIC LIBERTY

PROFESSOR ALGIt AT TAIHAPE AUCKLAND FREEDOM ASSOCIATION SUPERANNUATION SCHEME ‘ Democratic liberty is on the decline throughout the whole world and there is no doubt that democracy is threatened more in New Zealand than in any other part of the British Empire. ' The chief issue to be decided at the next election is whether we are to have more or less socialism, declared Professor R. M. Algie, L.L.M., of Auckland, in addressing a large audience at the Town Hall, laihape, on Monday evening under the auspices of the Auckland Freedom Asocial* i. The professor is a brilliant and arresting speaker and held the undivided attention of his listeners as he uea.t with the Dominion’s politizil. economic and social problems, and outlined the aims and objects of the ; vocation that he represents. The Mayer (Mr. L. B. H. de Lautour) pre,lied over the meeting and introduced the Pprofe.vor Algie explained how the Auckland Freedom Associaiio.i was formed and pointed out that the association aimed to educate the public on political matters and tendencies and was opposed to the present uove.nment because the association considered the Government to be undemocratic. The association was opposea to socialism and considered :hat the best way to express its opposition was by supporting the National Party rather than form a party of its own. The association, however. wAs not tied to any political party and reserved the right to criticise the National Party in office just as it was criticising the Labour Government tn office. The aim of the association was to be educative and it could not make an appeal to the electors till after the election. Road Back Difficult The vital question at the next elec;ion was whether there 'was to be more or less socialism as already mentioned. The Government in office would do as all Governments do md come before the electors with all sorts of promises, and the electors vould be tempted. Some said let the Sovernment have another three years and they will put themselves out of office; others made similar suggestions, but this sort of argument was very subtle. “If you vote them in, can you vote them out when you fee; like it?” asked the speaker. “Can Russia. Germany and Italy vote themselves out of a dictatorship? The entry to socialism is easy, the way .fc-AtJs by no means clear. If you reGovernment you do are Ponder ■

hold authority which is as absolute as ,he can make it. Do you prefer the {judgment of a Minister to the judgI ment of law? ’ A lawyer has a good idea whether i he is going to win a case but the our•ome of an interview with a Minister is Eke betting on a totalisator. If you ,-vant an increase ia salary you esk fo? it, but if you want better so.rial tonmtions there are only two w.xys of having your wish granted: (1) By force of public opinion; (2) by a .-trike. There is no effective public . opinion under socialism. The Civil : Service of this country depends for I its existence on public opinion.” The speaker went on to deal with the inroads made into private liberty since the Labour Party came into office and referred to the present position in regard to the the Fair Rents Act .d the taking over of private trans lit services by the Government. The right to appeal to a higher Court in such cases did not exist and the Minister’s decision was final. One transport proprietor had been given nearly £2OOO for a business that brought him in £BOO to £l4OO a year. It was said in an Auckland paper recently that the small business man would soon pass from the world of (worrying about finance to the world i of peace, perfect peace. The Prime Minister had said rei cently that nothing was further from the mind of the Government than the [ socialisation of land and yet Mr. ■ Langstone had intimated that the • Government had this object in view. We must strengthen our Christian ; philosophy, declared the professor. Superannuation Scheme The speaker criticised the Governi ment’s superannuation scheme, which I the medical men had stated was not workable. At Geneva a scheme hatf been approved by the League of j Nations and adopted in many coun- ' tries. The Government’s scheme was inequitable because one man might i pay £lOO a year into the scheme and . ; another man £lOOO a year and yet ‘ j both men would get the same benefits . despite the fact that one man payed in ten times as much as the other. . “I leave it to you as to whether it is fair to pay according to what you earn and take a fixed pension. In many countries the pensions scheme is limited to the smaller salaried people whose benefits depend on what they pay in. The more they pay in ! the more they take out. Under the Labour Government’s scheme this is not the case.” observed the professor. ’ In conclusion, the speaker returned ■ thanks for the invitation to visit Tai- » hape and give an address. In answer to a question as to ’ whether ftie Government should have a social security scheme, Professor 1 ■ Algie said that a country should carry ; those who could not carry themselves. • but that the proposed scheme was not t sound or equitable. i The speaker was accorded a hearty • vote of thanks and appreciation for 1 his interesting and instructive address. • Thanks were also extended to the ■ Auckland Freedom Association for > granting the professor the opportunity to visit Taihape and give a public • address.