MR MACFARLANE AND THE BUSINESS GROUP

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 15

MR MACFARLANE AND THE BUSINESS GROUP

to rus bditos or rax pkess. Sir,—Mr Macfarlane . endeavours to reply to my letter in answer to his attack on the Business Group. Mr Macfarlane says he has heard many expressions of opinion regarding how Professor Algie appeals to his audience. Why does not Mr Macfarlane admit that he was present at Professor Algie's address in St. James' Theatre and that he heard with his own ears an address containing not one word of abuse, not one hysterical outburst, not one appeal to class prejudice, but a careful analysis of the trend of Labour's policy. . Mr Macfarlane says he has met businessmen in Christchurch North who do not subscribe to the reaction policy of the Business Group. That sort of argument is all right for the street corner, but Mr Macfarlane knows very well that the Christchurch Business Group is absolutely the reverse to reactionary. He knows that at the last election the business community did not solidly support the Coalition Government. Many of our biggest industrialists voted Labour on that occasion. Why? Simply because the progressive businessman is not reactionary; he is progressive. The Business Group today is composed of intelligent businessmen, the majority of them young men who are neither reactionaries nor revolutionaries—men who realise that the community must earn well and spend well. Men who are supporting the new National progressive policy. The Business Group does not infer that the Labour Party is out to destroy religion. The announcement under discussion explained the drift towards Socialism. When the State is supreme it cannot afford to have its power challenged by churches or any other organisations. To-day Mr Macfarlane is assisting in an endeavour to launch a new economic order of things which has only one logical conclusion, viz.. State domination over the lives and thoughts of the people.—Yours, etc.. C. ROY HARRIS. September 26. 1938. ' j i

TO THf. BUITOa or TilE I'RKBS. Sir,—As one who attended to hear an address by Professor Algie I was interested in the opinion expressed by Mr Macfarlane in his letter of September 23, in which he says, "Certainly nobody would accuse him (Professor Algie) of appealing to intelligence. This was an uncalled-for reflection on the electors of Christchurch and on a gentleman of Professor Algie's attainments. The opinions I heard on Professor Algie's addresses were quite contrary to these of Mr Macfarlane. It,was an education to hear Professor Algie, and I would recommend Mr Macfarlane to take the opportunity, if it ,o"ccurs again, of hearing him. It would be an education for him. Mr Macfarlane questions the intelligence of the Businessmen's Group. Has he shown any superior business intelligence as a member of the Tramway Board? The operations of the board do not seem to show any. After five years ot Labour control cf the tramways the deficiency on the working has risen from £17,000 to £28.000 a truly fine example of business intelligence. Then, why arc wages to be increased without waiting for the Arbitration Court's decision, in spite of the deficiency of £28,000? Is it because of the General Election? Further evidence of the business intelligence is shown by the fall in revenue since the fares were increased. „,■,«• In his address at St. Albans Park Mr Macfarlane is reported as saying that the old Government had taken away the rights of civil servants; had interfered with the rights of the Arbitration Court by sanctioning the 10 per cent, cut in wages, on Which occasion no protest had been heard from Professor Algie Will Mr Macfarlane answer these questions: When did the Government take awaythe rights of civil servants and what rights? Was Professor Algie taking an active part in politics at the time referred to? Dops he approve of a five-day 40-hour week for hotels? Does he approve of the Prime Minister appointing a personal friend to a position of £ISOO a year without calling for applications for the position? Does he approve of forcing superannuated persons to pay for a further superannuation payable at ages about 85 and over when they have already paid for the superannuation they are receiving? Does he approve of the people's broadcasting service being used for Labour political addresses every Sunday night, two speakers being now used for that purpose? What does he mean by the term "vested interests"? Does he approve of Socialism as set out in the book just published and written by Mr J. A. Lee, M.P.?-Yours, etc., ELECTOR . September 24. 1938.