PUBLIC POWER ABUSED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1938, Page 6

PUBLIC POWER ABUSED

LABOUR PROPAGANDA

PROFESSOR ALGIPS

CRITICISM

(By ■Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND. October 5,

"I appeal to you trt take such steps so that at the Centenary you can face the occasion as free citizens of a free and splendid democracy," said Professor R. M. Algie, organiser of the Auckland Provincial Freedom Association, in concluding ah address to more than 4000 people, who completely filled the Town Hall and Concert Chamber and overflowed into Grey's Avenue tonight. The appeal was, greeted with tumultuous applause by an audience that had given Professor Algie an enthusiastic hearing throughout. Undismayed by interjections, abuse, and noise from 'a small but extremely active section of the audience, Profes-j sor Algie spoke for over an hour and ( a half and concluded amid scenes of i enthusiasm. A large force of police j maintained excellent order and, al- J though one man was ejected and others cautioned, the meeting on the whole was extremely good-humoured, prolonged cheers mingling with an undercurrent of booing. "The single issue in the forthcoming election is the question of Socialism v. non-Socialism," he said. "The real question, is Socialism or not so. "Many Labour speakers tend to confuse the issue between Socialism and social service," he continued. "Social service is something rendered to the community in which private enterprise can take part. The difference between that and Socialism is that under Socialism there is complete prohibition of any private enterprise whatsoever. "This year, when there is an election, they begin to put Socialism into the background because they know that it is not a best-seller on the eve of an election," he said, after quoting some earlier statements on Socialism by prominent members of the Government. "The price of the benefits you- are getting from the Prime Minister now is the socialising of New Zealand. j x "On the eve of the election they **.ay in London that it is well to'keep Socialism in the background a little." A voice: "Who said it? Professor Algie: . You will find it said by the Leader of the Labour Party, Major Attlee, in London. When the question was put to the Prime Minister of New Zealand by a group of citizens who had a right to know, what did he say? He goes in for that characteristic evasiveness which is becoming increasingly common and this is the answer they got: "I suppose we are going somewhere." MINISTER OF PROPAGANDA. "The answer which the people of New Zealand give is that although the Prime Minister is going somewhere, nobody in New Zealand is going with him." (Loud applause.) Noise and disorder at this stage stopped Professor Algie for a moment. As soon as he could make himself heard he said: "We are having tonight a splendid example of what amount of free speech will be left to you when my friends down bere are firmly in the saddle. "You know that since the Rev. Mr. Scrimgeour's .- 'appointment. his -addresses on Sunday evenings have, con-? tamed material 'that is definitely and deliberately propagandist. "In this country we have -now .a Minister of Propaganda definitely on the German model." A voice: That is not true, and you know it. ■ " ' .' Professor Algie: Oh, yes, it is. We have had definite abuse- of public power in the interests of party politics. The Government had found it necessary to call to its aid the services of their commercial propagandist, a public servant paid out of public funds, Professor Algie said. He had been touring parts of the Dominion and giving addresses definitely of a propagandist nature. "He said he was not at. Tirau really to speak at all," he continued. "He said he had not visited Tirau as a speaker, but that, as he was in the district, some of his friends had invited him to go along to that meeting. That is what he said here in this hall. Did you hear it? (Chorus of "Yes.") "The Director of Commercial Broadcasting told us that he was not in the habit of giving political addresses and he said he seemed to have been in Tirau more or less by chance. Here is a copy of an advertisement that has been in the Tirau district and has been exhibited for the last ten days: 'The fight is oh. Labour campaign. Mr. A. F. Moncur, M.P., accompanied by the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour, "Scrim." will address electors in the Town Hall, Tirau, on Wednesday, September 28, at 8 p.m.'