NATIONAL OUTLOOK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 July 1941, Page 4

NATIONAL OUTLOOK

NEEDED iN NEW ZEALAND HABIT OF BELITTLING POLITICIANS. OBSERVATIONS BY LEADER OF OPPOSITION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, July 3. "One of the weaknesses of democratic people —and the people of New Zealand are no better or no worse than others—is that they have a tendency to belittle politics and politicians.” said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, in an address to the Rotary Club. “But our democratic system of Government can survive only if it enjoys the confidence of the people. Members of Parliament are often referred to in scurrilous terms and with cheap sneers, but I remind you of the old proverb that one should not cast dirt into the fountain from which one may be required to drink later.” The outlook of the average citizen in New Zealand was an outlook in terms of self-interest. Mr Holland said, and practically every project put to the Government was put with the thought of how it would affect the person or section interested. But people should expect the Government to reach its conclusion of any project only in terms of national interest. Deputations to the Government in Wellington constantly demanded something foi' sectional interest. and if they were satisfied it was “regulation.” If the decision was against them they complained of “cursed political interference.” “Today,” Mr Holland said, “we need less carping criticism and more constructive criticism, and before we criticise public men we should never ask for something from members of Parliament that we would not do ourselves.”