MR MACFARLANE AND THE BUSINESS CROUP

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22514, 23 September 1938, Page 5

MR MACFARLANE AND THE BUSINESS CROUP

TO TUB EDITOR OE THE PRESS. S* r . —ln addressing Christchurch North electors the other evening, Mr Macfarlane endeavoured to “deal with” Professor Algio and the Christchurch Business Group. Professor Algie needs no defence whatever. He does not deal in windy political opinions, ho does not play on emotions. He deals with facts and with actual legislation as only a highly-trained mind can; and, of course, he hurts. Mr Macfarlane I‘eferred to the announcements of the Christchurch Business Group under “the political duster” heading. These announcements have, while not matching Labour’s lavish scale of spending on publicity, contained facts, figures, and concrete arguments. Out of all the matter presented under the political duster, Mr Macfarlane endeavours to discount these announcements by taking from their context the following eight words: “Banish gods from skies and capitalists from earth.” He took eight words out of more than 800.

Tlere is the context of the phrase above quoted, which, incidentally, was an explanatory footnote: “Hence, in the main, we have already achieved the first phase of Communism—Socialism." (Stalin to the Eighth Congress of. Soviets of U.S.S.R., November. 1937.) (N.B.—Do not forget that Communist literature says; “Banish gods from skies and capitalists from earth.”) Mr Macfarlane must remember that in Christchurch North he is not haranguing half-wits. This constituency has repeatedly indicated its intelligence at previous elections. Mr Macfarlane is not game to rerid from the platform the whole of the announcement in which the above quotation appeared, an announcement. which was a straightforward exposition of the declared objective of the Labour Party and the steps already taken to make New Zealand a Socialist State by a stealthy policy of gradualism.—Yours, etc., C. ROY HARRIS. September 21, 1938.