“CENTRE PARTY”

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 82, 3 April 1934, Page 7

“CENTRE PARTY”

NEW ORGANISATION PROGRAAIME OUTLINED SYDNEY, Alarch 15. Though the New Guard seems to have deserted Colonel Campbell, or to have been expelled by him —I am not quite clear which —that-enthusias-tic reformer has been by no means idle of late. He has been busily engaged in organising his new “Centre Party,” and he recently explained to a large gathering in the Presbyterian Assembly Hall what it is and what it intends to do. Will Conduct Campaign “We are weary,” said the speaker, “of seeing this great asset, Australia, eternally governed by representatives of the Trades Hall or by the nominees of greedy old men in the city.” r l o change all this, he proposes to conduct a great political campaign “according to the highest British traditions, leaving calumny and unfair personal criticism to those who like that form of at-t?-.ack. ” He intends to abolish State Parliaments and the division of the Commonwealth into provinces, and ■ this new Government will be administered by “representatives of employers and employees elected from industrial groups. ’ ’ Colonel Campbell holds that “the Italian form of Government is superior to the British;” hut he seems rather to miss the point that no one in Italy would have a chance of election on a “vocational” or any other basis if the Dictator disapproved of him. The Fourteen Points But the true inwardness of the new policy is contained in “The Fourteen Points.” These provide, among other things for “the unity of the political, industrial, cultural and moral forces in

the State;” repeal of all Socialistic legislation; co-operation of Capital and Labour; non-payment of members of Parliament; of freedom from domination by extreme Right or extreme Left in Parliament; freedom of private enterprise; vocational representation; elimination of unemployment; compulsory work for all mentally and physically capable; abolition of bureaucracy; limitation of Civil Service to the minimum number of loyal citizens required; liberation of industry from inequitable taxation; settlement of unemployed. on fertile areas; settlement of th© continent, and its development, primarily with British men and “private capital, and subject to the policy of a White. Australia.’’ “Failure of Democracy” It certainly is a comprehensive programme though I venture to think that it does more credit to Colonel Campbell’s heart than his head. Unfortunately he has not yet explained, nor is he likely to explain, how all these things can be done. Of course it all starts, in his mind, with “the failure of Democracy,” but that does not carry us very far.

No doubt the Colonel is well provided with good intentions; but bitter experience has taught us all what is too often their ultimate gaol.