PARTY POLITICS

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22151, 24 September 1943, Page 4

PARTY POLITICS

MR S. BURTON’S CRITICISM Criticism of party politics was the main theme of an address to electors by Mr S. Burton, Real Democracy candidate for Raglan. The party political machines, he said, were interested in the success of the party and not concerned with the interests of the people. A member of a party was subject to the party and therefore could not serve his electors to the best of his ability. The political parties were entirely absorbed in their own special interests and did not bother about the people until election time. The people themselves were to blame that their democratic rights had been continually stolen from them. The greatest power for good was in the hands of the people and this was the power of democracy. However, the people would have to take an active interest in it. Mr Burton asked what business establishment could prosper on the same lines as party politics. All Parliamentary representatives should be pledged to the common welfare of t.he people, and pledged to them in writing. Party members now signed a pledge to a party, whereas it should be to the people. In vigorously attacking the present financial system, Mr Burton said that it controlled everything in the lives of the people. He regarded it as his duty to demand the immediate revision and reform of the financial system. The whole world was struggling against a system whereby the country’s financial indebtedness actually increased as the people struggled to pay it. Too long had this condition of things been wrapped in mystery. Unfortunately there were quite a number of people v/ho appeared to hate to hear the truth concerning the creation and use of money.