EVE OF BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1938, Page 5

EVE OF BATTLE

HON. A. HAMILTON DEFINES ISSUES BIG FIGHT IN PROSPECT NATIONALIST PARTY’S GREAT ORGANISATION (By Telegraph—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N„ This Day. “Many things are being done and rapid changes are being made, and it behoves every man and woman in the Dominion to take an intelligent interest in politics, because if these things are not stopped democracy will be threatened. The very system which has built up the country will go,” said the leader of the National Party, the Hon Adam Hamilton, in an address at Palmerston North last night to a large attendance of supporters of the party. Mr and Mrs Hamilton were guests of honour at a special social evening arranged by the Palmerston North electorate committeee. They received a tumultuous welcome. Mr H. G. Mills, president of the Palmerston North branch of the National Party presided. Mr Hamilton was greeted with prolonged cheering and musical honours when he took the platform. He said this election was going to be a big fight. Although there was mention of a dirty fight, those who threw dirt, he hoped, would get smothered in it themselves. The good government of any country was an important job, and politics, in the last few years, had taken a serious turn. The parties before the Labour Government had governed the country in a sound way, but, with the change of the past three years, democracy was threatened. “We have got to put a stop to it,” he said. “We have got to make democracy work well. The voters of this country run the Government and democracy is in their hands, and they must not let democracy be tricked and be led away with promises of something too easily obtained.” He said there was no dearth of candidates for the National Party for the elections. Being a candidate was not a pleasant job. “But when you select your candidate, it is up to you to put him in,” said Mr Hamilton. “We have candidates in even the most difficult seats, and we will put up a man for every electorate.” WORTHY CANDIDATES The recent conference of candidates, Mr Hamilton went on to state, in Wellington, was a real inspiration, and the members were a band of men worthy of the National Party, and who would put up a good fight. The party possessed a wonderful organisation today. “The. Labour Party has the name of being the best organised in the world. We put them in because we were not

united. They received 47 per cent of the votes, and obtained 70 per cent of the seats in Parliament —that’s organisation. But from the top of New Zealand to the bottom I can tell you we have a great organisation.” He warned his audience of a “rumour campaign” against National candidates and appealed to supporters to scotch them immediately. “We are going forward into battle man to man with the Labour Party,” he said. “Election day is approaching with the National Party united and organised as it never has been before. We have accomplished a great deal. We are going to do more than that. We are going to clean them up.” (Applause). It was necessary, indeed, he said to know what the fight was about. New Zealand enjoyed the best standard of living in the world, which was set before Labour came into being and would remain after they went. “The difference between the Labour Party and the National Party is that they want State Socialism and we don’t. It is State Socialism against private enterprise. PARTY OBJECTIVES “People hardly realise what the objective of the Labour Party is. They are against the system of private enterprise which has been building up New Zealand for the last 80 years and which has given us a mighty good standard of living. They say it is all wrong to have private ownership and private wealth. That is not the voice of New Zealand. Their objective is-to overthrow the system of private ownership for public ownership and that is more serious than we think.” According to the Labour Party, individual freedom snould give way to State regimentation and domination. “We say that men, women and freedom are the greatest things of society,” he said. The State should serve them instead of they serving the State. The State becomes the god in society when they speak of it.” The National Party was against State ownership and distribution. People had a right to put by a reserve to provide for the future, but the Labour Party desired to eliminate the right to own property and accumulate private wealth. If they were returned this would occur. “They hold that they are the social service champions and we are hardhearted,” said Mr Hamilton, “but social services have for long been well established and extended in the Dominion. We believe in social services but with a background which can support them and continue to support them. 1 think Labour’s idea is to load social services up to break the financial system —then they will be happy. We have got to have a balanced economy for a background, but the Labour Party is going on with its social security, which will break down under its own weight. A vote of thanks and appreciation for Mr Hamilton’s inspiring address was moved by Mr H. A. Seifert and endorsed without dissent by the audience.