FINANCIAL RULE

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22150, 23 September 1943, Page 7

FINANCIAL RULE

MR BURTON’S VIEWS NEGATION OF DEMOCRACY While the country had party machines it would suffer from financial rule, which made New Zealand t a dictatorship. Whether the coun- | try was at peace or at war, this was i the very negation of democracy, said j Mr S. Burton, Real Democracy candidate for the Raglan electorate, in ! an address to electors. Democracy, he said, meant the administration of ; a country’s affairs to yield the results which its people wanted. Today the whole world, in peace or at war, was struggling against a system whereby the country’s financial indebtedness actually increased as the people struggled to pay it. It was the industry of the people that gave money and value. Why should private or public institutions be allowed to write up as a debt to themselves the money required for public works and social services of all descriptions. Such money should be issued debt and interest-free from the people’s bank, the Reserve bank, thus restoring the ownership of roads, bridges and hospitals to the people. “I submit that up to now we have failed in our duty as members of the community,” said Mr Burton. “We have been fearful and afraid where courage and steadfast purpose were required. We have permitted our members of Parliament to indulge in th old political sin of following the line of least resistance, because they have been afraid and unwilling to defy the party whip.”

MR PENNIKET AND QUESTIONER

During the course of an address at Te Aroha West Mr J. H. Penniket, Independent candidate for Waikato, said that more statesmanship was required. At question time an elector asked, ‘‘Will the candidate explain the difference between a politisian and a statesman?” The candidate replied: “Yes, a politician plans for the next election, whereas a statesman plans for the next generation.” (Laughter and applause).