ANOTHER STEP TOWARD ULTIMATE SOCIALISM

Wanganui Chronicle, 31 January 1947, Page 6

ANOTHER STEP TOWARD ULTIMATE SOCIALISM

NATIONAL PARTY’S VIEW OF CO-OPERATIVE STORES (P.A.) Wellington. Jan. 30 The National Party wholeheartedly supported co-operative enterpr ses wherever they could be usefully employed, but was strongly opposed to the establishment of trading monopolies of all kinds, whether owned by large companies, or otherwise, stated the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland), in an interview at the conclusion of the caucus of the Parliamentary members of the National Party to-day. The caucus, he added, had discussed the announced decision of the Government to prohibit the establishment of private trading businesses and shops in State housing areas of the Hutt Valley, so as to give an exclusive monopoly io co-operative enterprises. (The National Party, said Mr. Holland, held that the test of any business enterprise must be measured by the service it could render to the public and the quality and cost of the goods and services it marketed. That could only be gauged by orderly and fair competition from other traders, all competing with the same ru’es and conditions. Public funds belonging to all the people had been used to establish these State housing centres, and the National Party raised the strongest possible protest at some of the people who had provided the money being locked out from a right to trrde with occupiers of State rental houses. Members of the Opposition regarded this latest example of national State socailism as one more step in the Government’s policy of ultimate socialism, and destruction of private enterprise, and of our privately-owned shopping and trading system. They would fight for the rights of the peop’e with all the vigour at their command. No mention was even whispered of this proposal during the election campaign, and it could be found nowhere in any published policy statement. The National Party would fight for the right of the people to retain their freedom, and to do their shopping where they choose, and not where the Government directed. Mr. Holland said there were several questions regarding this new development which should be answered. One was whether the co-operative concerns, which were to be given a monopoly, would be restricted to their particular housing area from which others were to be excluded, or would they be allowed to trade outside their area?