COUNTRY HAD FILL OF SOCIALISM NOW SAYS MR SULLIVAN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 68, 25 November 1949, Page 5

COUNTRY HAD FILL OF SOCIALISM NOW SAYS MR SULLIVAN

The need for greater production as a solution to many problems in New Zealand today was emphasised by Mr W. Sullivan, sitting Na--7 tional Party, candidate for Bay of Plenty, in a broadcast before an attendance of over 400 electors in the Regent Theatre, Taumarunui, on Tuesday night. Mr Sullivan was the first outside political candidate to speak at Taumarunui in the present campaign. “We have had, in this country in the last 14 years a fairly good fill of socialism,” Mr Sullivan said. “I say that socialism in this country has taken the top off the milk, and left the people with the skim.” The promises made by the Labour Government in 1935, that taxation would have to be lowered, that borrowing would have to cease, and that sales tax would be done away ' with ha'd not been implemented. Taxation had grown like a beanstalk over the last 14 years. Four years after the war the Government had required £24,000,000 more than for the greatest spending period of the war. He contended that New Zealand could not have s&cjalism and low taxes. According tjjl Government speakers, only the rich paid taxes, but he ‘felt it was exceedingly difficult for an ordinary working man to keep the Government and the wife as well. “Mr Nash has learned the art cf plucking the goose in order to get the greatest amount of feathers . with the smallest amount of squawking. He has been mighty successful.” Primary production had only increased by 1 per cent in the last 13 years. If New Zealand had a Government more sympathetic to the problems of the primary producer there would be higher production. If the Labour Party was returned to office taxation would be increased to carry on with the socialisation jjrogramme. I “We are aiming to get greater primary production, and more goods will be sent overseas. By that way we will have a greater volume of goods on which to tax, and we can bring about a corresponding reduc-,, tion in taxation,” Mr, Sullivan con3Lj tinued. * “No outside organisation has dictated the principles of the policy we have put before the electors,” he stated. “We will put our policy' into operation. There is no attempt to hoodwink the electors. We wil] attempt to correct the evils put upon us by 14 years of Labour reign.” Mr Sullivan was accorded a vote of thanks. Mr Sullivan addressed meetings -at Matahiria and Otakiri on Wednesday evening. He is to speak in the Taneatua Hall at 8 tonight and in the Regent Theatre, Whakatane, •on Monday night. ,