LATEST EXAMPLE OF STATE SOCIALISM

Chronicle (Levin), 31 January 1947, Page 7

LATEST EXAMPLE OF STATE SOCIALISM

Bv Telearavh—

-Press Association

WELLINGTON, Jan. 30. The National Party wholeheartedly supported co-operative enterprises wherever they eould be. usefully employed but was sti'ongly opposed to the establishment of trading monopolies of all kinds whether owned by large companies or otherwise. stated tlie leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, in an intcrview at the conclusion of the caucus of Parliamentary members of the National Party today. The caucus, he added, had diseussed the announced deeision of ihe Government to prohibit the establishment of privatp trading businesses and shops in State housing areas oi ihe Hutt Vailey

so as to give an exclusive monopoly t.o co-o'perative enterprises. The National Party, said Mr. Holland, held that the test of any busiuess enterprise must be measured by the service it could render to the publie and the quality and eost of the goods and services it marketed. That could only be gauged by orderly and llair competition from other traders, all competing with the same rules and conditions. Public funcls belonging to all the people had been used to establish these State housing centres and the National Party raised the strongest possible protest at some of the people who had provided the money, being locked out from the right to trade with the occupiers of State ! rental houses. Members of the Opposition regarded this latest example of national State socialism as one more step in the Government 's policy of ultimate socialism and the destruction of private enterprise and of our privately owned shopping and trading system. They would ■fight for the rights of the people with all the vigour at their command. , No mention was even whispered of this proposal during the election campaign and it could be found nowhere iii any published policy statement. The National Party would .fight for the right of the people to. retain their freedom and to do their shopping where they chose and not' where the Government direqted. Mr. Holland said there were several questions regarding this new development which should be answered. One was whether the co-operative concerns which were to be given the monopoly, would be restrieted to their particular housing area from which others were to be excluded or would they be allowed to trade outside their areaf i