“STATE’S SLAVES”

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 442, 25 May 1937, Page 2

“STATE’S SLAVES”

SOCIALISM ATTACKED Mr S. G. Holland Critical “Under democracy the S‘‘ate should be the servu-nt of the people but, under the bureaucratic administration which we are approaching, the people are becoming the slaves.' of the State; whereas the .S<ate should be the servant of the people. The State of today is entering into the everyday life of commerce on too many occasions,” said Mr. S. G. Holland, M.P. for Christchurch North, when speaking at the Chamber of Commence Hall

:at Auckland under 'the auspicea of the Auckland division of, the New Zealand National Party. Mr. Holland’s subject wias “The Burden on Industry of the Present Legislation.” MT. Lisle Alderton presided, and in introducing the speaker, said that Mr. Holland was one of -the most outstanding of the National party’s young members. Mr. Holland said, the position today was that New Zealanders were right at the cross-roads, and had to .make up their minds as to whether they were going up one channel whi’fch led to Socialism, or up the other chanhel| which woulfrl lenaible them to maintain their rights and ■ freedom of enterprise. It was not a question of whether or not business men could, afford to take sides, it wag a question of whether they could afford not to take sides. Business people were, he felt, realising that they could not afford not to take sides on the political issues before the people, and

that they should exercise considered opinion on matters political. Country’s Plight. The spelaker doubted whether many business people who Vo-tled Labour at the last election realised the plight the country was in, qnd that exports ; from 1921 to 1931 dropped by £20,000,000 and "imports by £'22,000,000, and that income from taxation de--1 creased from £19,500,000 in 1930 to £ 15,500,000 in 1933. I,ie referred to the functions expected of Governments, and said he thought private -enterprise expected the Government to check its interfering practices in commerce. The Nlaence in business, but if they desired tional party stood for less interfertihis then they would have to cultivate the habit of asking for “more Interference” less. Health Insurance Plan. Mr. Holland quoted many examples of the Government interfering with private .enterprise and referred to the proposal to institute health in. suiunoe. The State, he said, now proposed: to control the medical profession, and many doctors' were going to fall for the scheme. The public, however, would be required to seek the services of the nearest doctor and the scheme generally, he predicted, wouldi increase health charges by 100 per cent. In conclusion Mr. Holland commented on the ‘‘series of djfetatiorships” that were being established in various branches of industry in the Dominion, and appealed to business men who felt 'that they had a stak., in the country and wished to save it from Socialism, to support the National party and return; jt wUtfe a working majority in the House next year.