The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, NOV. 22, 1946 Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 53, 22 November 1946, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, NOV. 22, 1946

Dear Sir,

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-piume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to abridge, amend or withhold any letter or letters.

TO THE ELECTORS

Sir, —The Christian Frontier Movement, which developed out of the Christchurch 1845 Conference of Churches and the earlier Campaign for Christian Order, is inter-denom-inational, and its aim is to study and apply Christian principles to the problems of citizenship as they arise. The Movement is not concerned with any political party, nor is it a political movement in the party sense. But it is concerned with politics and economics because these, affect intimately the citizen, be he Christian or not.

It is not our job- to advise you how to vote at the General Election. But the special interest of the campaign, and the importance of the issues at stake, impel us to draw your attention to some aspects of the political problem which tend to be obscured in the dust and heat of party conflict. Planning: Our national economy must be planned. There is no escape from this in a world so short of food and necessaries and so confused over the future. It is futile to take refuge in party slogans—socialism, private enterprise, etc. The real problem is how much statecontrol, or direction is necessary or, —from the opposite side—how far it is proper or needful to curb the freedom of the individual. Freedom: The inner freedom of the person is a vital Christian privilege, and should not be violated by any government. But no one can be absolutely free to do what he likes in any society of humans, however small or primitive. Our personal rights must be limited by the corresponding rights of our neighbours. We have duties as well as rights. It is the task of government to deal justly with the whole body of citizens, and fol this purpose the State muss exercise power over the community. But State-power can be harsh and oppressive, even with it functions under democratic forms. Tyranny is not confined to fascist or communist rule. There is a tendency for power to corrupt those who wield it. The citizen should be alert and critical towards the use of State-power, especially when political parties tend to become—as they do—more concerned with the preservation of themselves as bodies than of the welfare of all the citizens.

The State in our judgment has no right to be thp sole selector and censor of all that goes over the air, nor to ignore the need for a Christian philosophy of life in our educational system. Again, we think that much more use could be made of the initiative and abilities of the ordinary citizen when committees or other tribunals are set up for specific public purposes. Democracy should be built from the ground up and not, as so often from the top down. Government “by the people” means much more than a vote for one or two candidates every few years. Democratic life in New Zealand is still very incomplete, and politicians of all types need to be reminded of the fact.

Need for Community Spirit: The modern world knows the one-party state (fascist or communist). It knows the two or more party state (two in New Zealand). It has yet to experience the state which is a true community—the Christian ideal. We are all painfully aware of divisions and conflicts among the various economic and social groups that make up the nation. Those who engage in these clashes are too frequently inspired by personal or class selfishness: the needs or rights of the community as a whole are scarcely if ever considered. Political parties tend to align themrselves with contending economic factions, and a political contest—as this month—becomes largely a battle between the interest of one set of people and that of another set. It is the duty of the elector who is alive to the real issues to test the claims of every political candidate by the qality of his real concern for the common good of all. If that means for candidate or constituent some sacrifice of party zeal or party discipline, it is a price which the true patriot should be willing to pay. It is still the job of Christian people to try and create a real community in New Zealand’s “green and pleasant land.” \ Whither Are We Going? We are thankful for the social progress of past years; for the improvement in the condition and' prospect of the mass of the people; and for a growing appreciation of .equal opportunity for all and of equal satisfaction for basic human needs. At the same time, the tendency to set up new gods of human making—to make money and pleasure and sport the absorbing objects of life—runs contrary to the Christian conception of life as a trust, not a possession; and of the spiritual need of all men and women. Man cannot live by bread alone. Governments may and should help to bring security and comfort to the mass of the people: we are rightly concerned over these material goods, but they are not enough. We shall never create a paradise through State-aid or direction, nor rest completely satisfied with material wealth and prosperity. The rule of God in our private and public life is our deepest need, and the supreme duty of the citizen, a seeking first to know God’s will and then to do it. These are not mere pious words. Examine the state of pur country and of the world without, and ask yourself frankly whether the way of Christ is not the only path out of our troubles, national and international —the only means to make and keep peace and justice at home and abroad?

Get your political candidate to hitch his waggon to a star; to acknowledge that spiritual values and aims are as essential as material benefits and the security that money affords. Is it not time the people consciously and resolutely set themselves to lift the standards of political life and conduct? NOW is the time to begin. ;

Authorised by the Executive, Christian Frontier Movement for Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Tauranga, November, 194.6.

THE ISSUE OF ULTIMATE SOCIALISM

Sir, —The Prime Minister pretends that the objective of his Party is not ultimate Socialism, despite the fact that at the Labour Party Conference on 14th November, 1945, the following resolution was passed:— “That the next General Election be fought on the Party’s policy of Ultimate Socialism.” Published by the

“Standard” .with a forewwd by the late M. J. Savage on 10th March, 1937, is a book “History in the 5 Making” by David Wilson, Secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party. The book deals with the coming of the Labour Government and refers to this event as “a turning point in New Zealand’s history . . . marking the inauguration of a new social system and aiming at the ultimate establishment of Socalism in New Zealand.”

If the Labour Party is returned to office at the coming election will it not be claimed that it has a mandate to implement ultimate socialism? Mr Langstone, always the herald of coming events, loudly, shouts that he will not rest until Stock and Station Agents and the Insurance Companies are taken over—that he will not rest- until there is only one Trading Bank operating in New Zealand (the Bank of New Zealand) whilst Mr Hackett, Labour M.P., states that the Government must accept the responsibility of deciding who is to obtain overdrafts. Mr Fraser’s attempt to assure the people that ultimate socialism is not the objective is like the previous assurance that the proceeds of the farmers’ produce would remain the exclusive property of the farmers—like Mr Semple’s repeated assurances that there would be no interference with transport operators —like the promise to restore to mine owners the control of their properties at the end of the war—like the assurance that there was no intention to abolish the country quota, and like Mr Nash’s statement that it was unnecessary to take over the Bank of New Zealand. Mr Nash has told us that the Government will proceed in the future towards its objective of ultimate socialism in the same way as it has done in the past, step by step. Mr Nash believes that the Soviet system of Government is the best system he knows of (see “Standard” August 19th, 1937); It is useless for Labour to repudi- ; ate ultimate socialism or whatever they like to call it, because they are pledged to a policy to socialise the means of production, distribution and exchange and their intention should be plain to all except the mentally blind. Yours etc., H. HARRISbN.