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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 23. September 12 1977

Dissillusionment with Parliament

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Dissillusionment with Parliament

The rapid growth of the Legions membership was also aided by the fact that "parliament and party politics had reached a nadir in public esteem". (6) The Legion stressed that it was above political parties and it attempted to be all things to all men thus trying to capitalise on the disillusionment that existed with the governing parties among varied classes That is, the Legion did attempt to be demogogic (although unsuccessfully) in the fascist style. The attempted demagogy was not reflected in its programme. Rather the right-wing origins of the Legion find expression in it. This can be seen by looking at the programme:
(1)The decentralisation of government and administration;
(2)the formation of regions with large powers . . . independent of Ministers or central government;
(3)the co-ordination of local body government within these regions;
(4)the reduction of the central bureaucracy by giving many of its powers to regional administration;
(5)securing a larger share in real government by giving back to parliament powers usurped by the Government;
(6)abolition of the Prime Ministers powers ... of declaring measures to be voted on as questions of confidence;
(7)replacing party cabinet by elected executive. (7)

The Legion was unable to expand its policy because of the ultra-democratic style of decision making it adopted. Any policy suggested by a Legion member had to gain approval of all branches before being included in the Legion's programme. Policy therefore tended to be made in speeches by Legion members to meetings and by its Divisions. The Fascist characteristics of being anti-bureaucracy and other political parties have already been shown in the programme of the Legion and in the founding of the NZ National Movement.

The Wellington District of the Legion produced a scheme for getting the economy moving which was based "on the principle that the state should ultimately control money, credit, and land . . . the plans were popularly associated with official policy (in spite of disclaimers I. The press pointed out that the advocacy of state controlled credit closely resembled the Labour Party's financial policy. Even worse, land nationalisation was a proposal 'so like Communism that every body owning even a backyard . . . shivered with horror" (9)

Trade unionists clash with Army and other members of the new government-sponsored union outside Auckland Town Hall during the 1951 waterfront dispute.

Trade [unclear: unionists] clash with Army and other members of the new government-sponsored union outside Auckland Town Hall during the 1951 waterfront dispute.

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