NATIONAL PARTY MANIFESTO

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

NATIONAL PARTY MANIFESTO

’ TO TUB EDtTOB OF TUB PRESS. Sir, —The National Party policy and your leading article on it both smell rather strongly of corruption of the “use-every - possible - play - on - words” variety. First, we have all the customary glorification of private enterprise in the abstract., This is dutifully, though somewhat less portentously echoed by “The Press.” Then comes a really humorous catalogue of particular violations of this nominal philosophy of private enterpx'ise.

For example, “If youth is to be asked to pay heavy taxes for the support of the older, generation” (which is not private enterprise but social provision of social security), then more children are wanted to increase the population. However, even the production of these children is not to be left entirely to private enterprise but is to be socially encouraged by socially-provided furniture loans to be written off in instalments as the children are born—and by family allowances. “Novel” ■ as you say, and the novelty would involve more taxation.

“The party undertakes to assist private enterprise where necessary but to place upon it no restrictions.” (The party breaks this "no restrictions” promise several times elsewhere in its policy.) Call this a guarantee of the privileges and profits of private ownership at the public risk and expens if you like, but why call it private enterprise? We have again the stale untruth that “the farmer has to accept world market prices,” whereas the farmer actually gets prices either 25 per cent, above the world market or internally guaranteed at an average profitable level. The dairy farmer is promised the abolition of the “commandeer." which means that banks and speculating merchants will be given back the old opportunities of exploiting' the dairy farmer by charging high interest rates and commissions. Presumably the dairy farmers have been waiting anxiously for three years to sacrifice themselves again to this exploitation. Wage-cutting intentions are first denied and then disguised as “increased” or “constantly rising costs,” which will be “lowered” or “stabilised.” Under the heading "Land Settlement we get the gem of the lot —a bit of real glittering Moscow gold. “Group settlement will be undertaken to assimilate less experienced men under group managers.” . , What a delightful old gang it la!— Yours, etc.. A FARME R. September 20, 1938.

*o m Karros ot thb raaas. Sir.—-After reading your leading articles "in Monday and Tuesday’s issues of “The Press” on the National Party’s policy, I say you are betraying your intelligence. Taking into consideration the record of Mr Hamilton and his party when in power, you would be more justified in warning the electors of New Zealand about the great similarity between the policy you extol and that of Herr Hitler to the German people in 1933. Perhaps too small a percentage of the people of New Zealand realise that against such premises as we have from the National Party to-day, the German people from similar promises are being forced to a lower standard of life. You hold this view regarding the German people. So, for the sake of the electors of this country and humanity in general, I suggest you tell the people what to expect in place of such promises.—Yours, etc., T.R. Ohoka, September 22. 1938.