INDEPENDENT GROUP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 September 1943, Page 3

INDEPENDENT GROUP

MR C. DRUMMOND AS SPOKESMAN DENUNCIATION OF PARTIES. . (By Telegraph—Pi-ess Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “On behalf of my colleagues in the Independent Group, I urge electors everywhere to support the Independent candidates,” said Flying Officer Clive Drummond yesterday. “There are sufficient Independents of the right type standing to form a Government with a substantial majority—a Government pledged only to serve the people, free of outside dictation, and one in which members would introduce and freely debate measures purely on their worth. “How necessary and urgent this has become can be seen from the following pledges, which are signed by party candidates: — “Labour Party Pledge: ‘I will faithfully uphold and wholeheartedly work for the objective and platform of the party, and no other, in accordance with the decisions which may from time to time be made pursuant to this Constitution.’ “National Party Pledge: ‘I declare that I will abide by the rules and constitution of the New Zealand National Party and that I will be loyal to its organisation and chosen leader. . .’ “There is no difference between these pledges. Members of both the Labour and National parties are inescapably tied by these pledges, and their party constitutions, to obey the dictates of organisations outside of Parliament. That is why these organisations pour out tens and even hundreds of thousands of pounds to publicise and support the parties. They want this control for their own selfish purposes—to grab money and power and to smash the opposing interests. “They have accordingly carried their party warfare into everything, embroiling all the people, with the result that we have had poverty, social and economic injustices, industrial unrest and fear, and a constant struggle between costs and income. Good government is impossible under party rule, as practised in this country. “We urge you to smash this system. We urge you to vote for your own freedom by supporting all Independent candidates. We ask all electors to roll up their sleeves and help us to get on with the job—for New Zealand and New Zealanders, and not for secret interests or party bosses. “Our national reconstruction plan, complete in all details, including methods of finance, our policy for stabilising living standards, our determination to set things right in this country by the

adoption of commonsense measures, our plans for co-operative effort toward progress, are the only genuine measures of practical worth now before the electors. We have made no promises—we have presented a plan complete in every detail. It has been worked out by committees of experienced men all over the Dominion. “We urge all electors to help us remove outside control of Parliament. We ask for your support for all Independent candidates.”'