EXTENDING STATE SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1938, Page 12

EXTENDING STATE SERVICES

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Since so much has been said during the last few days about the Government's .socialistic ideas and its intention to eventually enforce com' plete State control, I listened in last week to Mr. Savage in the hopes of hearing a plain denial of its intention of taking over the small shops, "farms, and other enterprises. But no!. Mr. Savage evades the point as usual, and says that the Government has enough worries without wanting to take over small shops. After talking in this soothing strain for some .time we get the small item which undermines the small shopkeeper's security—that, "of course, if the Government found that a business was not being conducted, in the Government's opinion, in the best in» terests. of the public, then the Government would step in." The same bland talk about the farmer. The Government does not want to upset the farmer: it only wants to do the best for everyone, he said. Its job is to keep the farmers on the farms. I suppose it is its "job to keep the farmers on the farms under State control, socialising the farmers and shopkeepers, as it is trying to first socialise the doctors. He took care not to say plainly that the Government would not take over the shops and the farms, but said that where.the Government saw that, in its opinion, State services were needed, the State services would be extended to cover these services.—l am, etc., .

SIMPLICITY,

Besentment is expressed by "Not Smart" at the reference made by the Mayor of Wellington at the Town Hall on Friday night to the broadcast addrees given that night by the Independent candidate for Mataura, Mr. D. McDougal). The' correspondent expresses sorrow and indignation that a public man should attempt to disparage one of the oldest pioneers of Southland.