MR HOLLAND’S VIEW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1943, Page 3

MR HOLLAND’S VIEW

HALT CALLED BY PEOPLE, IN SOCIALISATION POLICY. ißv Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 26. “It is too early yet to know precisely how the election will finish up, but present indications are that the Government will retain a much-reduced majority,” said Mr. S. G. Holland tonight, “but it is clear beyond any doubt whatever that there has been a landslide of public opinion against the Government and its policy of State control and regimentation. “The National Party put up a clean fight and this has been widely approved as the public is tired of personalities and recriminations. Our progressive policy has been approved bj the big increase in our vote. “With the Government’s overwhelming majority reduced to half a dozen, it would be absurd to suggest that the Government’s policy has been approved. ? Labour Party used fairly to claim •. t :t epresented a majority of the people, but on Saturday a majority oi

something like 40 000 voted against the Government’s policy and the administration and the Labour Party is no longer able to claim that it represents a majority of the people. “In my judgment, the election clearly means that the people voted in favour of the Government’s calling a halt in the expansion of its domestic policy of socialisation and State control. It was a clear vote against the use of the war situation for implementing socialisation. “I believe that the public wants to see party political bickering dropped and the best men from both sides formed into a non-party war administration to prosecute the war effort, but it would appear that outside pressure is too strong and that the Prime Minister is determined to carry on with the present sectional administration. “It looks as if we shall have a team of about 36 members, 16 of whom were members of last Parliament and 20 new men. I am sure the public will welcome this improvement in the debating capacity of the House. With so many younger men coming into the House, public interest in Parliament will be revived. “I greatly regret losing Sir Apirana Ngata, that grand man of the Maori race. For almost 40 years he lived and worked for his country, and I, in particular, will miss him very much, as it was to him that I looked for so much counsel on matters of Parliamentary procedure, on which he was an acknowledged authority. THE SOLDIERS’ VOTE. “One feature of the elections that requires looking into is the soldiers votes. The fact that every service man had to sign his name and fill in a form giving his regimental number and name has created doubts in the minds of many people as to the secrecy of the ballot which we have always regarded as essential to the conduct of our elections. I know it will be said that the soldier's name and number were placed in different envelopes, but that does not explain the need for all this filling in of forms. I am having inquiries made about the forwarding of election publicity material to service men, because it is essential to an election that every voter should be fully informed as to the issues involved. The Government was able to arrange for several of its Ministers to visit overseas territory and much subtle propaganda was indulged in. “I have no information when the new Parliament will meet, but I expect to have a meeting of the new Parliamentary Opposition within a week or 10 days of the final results being announced. The present situation is full of interest because the Government has already announced its decision to send Mr. Nash to Washington, and another Speaker must be found, still further reducing its working majority.” MR J. A. LEE BETTER SUPPORT ANTICIPATED IN FUTURE. °.y Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 26. ' “This is not the first time I have tasted defeat,” said Mr. J. A. Lee, leader of the Democratic Labour Party, in commenting on the result of the poll today. “Once before I heard the hoots of the crowd on election night, and lived to hear the’same people cheer the person they had hooted within tnree months. People who fall for principles and policies have the habit of rising again. “If I had fallen alone, I should have been inclined to devote my whole time to writing, for I can express my radicalism with the pen in the form of a novel or an article, but I rallied a good team of splendid people for the cause in which we believed. We have a hard core of support from the people willing to take the risks of fighting for their faiths rather than allowing fear to determine their vote. “Mr. Fraser, who was known to be in favour of a coalition some time ago, terrified, the electors with the suggestion that we were collaborating with the Nationalists. We shall come again, and soon, for Mr. Fraser’s victory was won on fear and not on faith or veneration for the leader. We feel sure our policy will be more appreciated in the days ahead.”