Mr. Holland On Planks In National Policy

Chronicle (Levin), 9 November 1949, Page 6

Mr. Holland On Planks In National Policy

OAMARU, Nov. S. "In my judgement the question oi the restoration of capital and corpofal punishment could never be a poliey de-* cision, but must be determined by the coriseienee of each member of Parliament," said Mr S. G. Hollaud in an ad dress in the Opera House tonight. " In view of the great increase in the uumber of murders the >Qverwhelinmg majority of people supported the restoration of capital punishment. For some of the most revolting erirnes againsi nxorality aud against women and children heavy sentences were iinposed by the eourts only to find that the prisou er was released after a few years. The Nationai Party policy was to re verse coinpletely the policy of the early release of those eonvicted of these grave crimes. After travelling extensively in tht North Island, Mr Holland said it wu.» hia opinion that no party policy habeen received with sucli wide acclaim u.had lieen the Nationai Partv polic> ot 1949. Iiulependently supervised ballots 011 strike issues and on the eleetious 01 otiicials of unious was touched'ou by Mr Holland. " This would apply oul) vvliere membership was conipulsory. li . people were compelled by law to belong to soine society or union then there is an obligatioli to ensure that suclf bal lots were properlv conducted, " he said. ! There was actually provision in tht- e.\ isting law for the Registrar of ludus 1 trial Unious or soine other otlicial of th« ' Labour Department to supervise ballotf in certain circumstances. "If the Labour Government di! this it was apparently all riglit," M; Holland said, but if the Nationai Part\ did it then it was told it was ab wrong," , The depression of 1930 was man-madi and in the light of subsequeut events they found it wa^ badly handled, Mi Holland said. He would say, however. that there was no country in the world whieh handled the position so we'l as did the Government in New Zealand. Inliation in New Zealand today was also man-niade, and it was also being badl.v handled. Intiatioii undennined ihe. strength and vitalitv of the economy. Mr Holland outlined what had hap pened to the Btabilisation I'ool Account ef approximately £44,000,000 iuvested by the t'armers. Of this £40,()()(i, 000 hud been left with the Government for sufe keeping, but cvery penny of this had been spent 011 railways, hvdroelectric works, tunnels and other work. " If prices failed and the fariner*- ask ed for tlieir own money, °whut poliey would the Government adopt? Mr Uolland asked. "The Government would go to the Reserve Bank as it had in the pust and ask it to print money whieh would bc pumpcd into circulation. " There was an attendaneo of about 700 and Mr Holland received an attentive hearing.