The Social Credit League provides the public of New Zealand with a real alternative, a different political philosophy, an alternative team, alternative organisation and alternative policies. Many people are very disturbed, concerned and frustrated at what is happening to our society at the moment, and at the inability of respective governments to sole our basic problems. People are being hurt by an unjust system which promotes profiteering ahead of the quality of individual living. The reform policies in these pages are aimed at halting these unwholesome trends. Democracy is under threat in all sorts of ways as the state increases its interference in our daily lives, as executive power grows, and as parliament exercises diminishing control over decisions of fundamental importance. Social Credit policies provide alternative methods of combatting rising costs and prices, a means of bringing workers and employers together (instead of the present confrontation policies), ways of helping young people buy homes, keeping farmers on the land, and providing a healthier environment in which to live. Study our different energy strategy, our plans to boost small business and our ideas for reforming parliament itself. THIS TIME, GIVE NEW ZEALAND A GO WITH SOCIAL CREDIT. When you read this manifesto I'm sure you will want to help us build a better nation, based on social justice, security and individual freedom.  A new society. Social Credit's new society will be one of:  (a) self-employed, owner-operators.  (b) co-operative ventures.  (c) worker participation and share-holding.  All of this will be built on incentives rather than the wielding of a big stick.  New Zealanders will have a greater say in the running of their own affairs, nationally and locally, and more freedom of choice. As a nation we will be able to stand on our own two feet and hold our heads high again. We welcome the benefits of the new technology which will enable people to enjoy more leisure and be creative. The League's policies have been designed for New Zealand conditions NOW. They provide realistic solutions to our current problems and look forward to the future.  SOCIAL CREDIT IS FOR:  (a) Financial reform.  (b) Individual enterprise.  (c) Racial harmony.  (d) Decentralisation of power.  (e) Conservation of natural resources.  (f) Law and order.  (g) Stable prices.  (h) Sovereign independence.  (i) Political honesty.  (j) Real democracy.  (k) Security with freedom.  (l) Balanced communities.  SOCIAL CREDIT is AGAINST:  (a) Financial exploitation.  (b) Monopoly growth.  (c) Racial discrimination.  (d) Increasing bureaucracy.  (e) Centralism.  (f) Inflation.  (g) Foreign takeovers.  (h) Political expediency.  (i) Abuse of the environment.  (j) Breakdown of family unit.  Agriculture. A Social Credit Government will direct its farming policy towards security of tenure, promoting further development and settlement, assisting with the control of erosion, and ensuring the necessary incentives for further production by:  (a) Stabilising costs.  (b) Reducing taxation.  (c) Ensuring finance at reasonable rates of interest.  (d) Providing adequate services for the rural community.  Social Credit's primary production policy recognises that farming is a business as well as a way of life, and that the business of a farmer is to produce to the limit of which his farm is capable, compatible with good farming. Social Credit will assure the farmer of his cost of production, including a reasonable profit. He will be paid for output, rather than subsidised on in-puts. Higher production and greater efficiency will then bring direct rewards, and a standard of living related to efficiency as a farmer. Social Credit recognises that New Zealand should specialise in producing those primary products for which our country is most suited, and use our surplus products to trade for goods required from other countries. Social Credit will encourage the production of a diversity of primary products according to market requirements. N.B. The word 'farming', as used in this agricultural policy, should be interpreted in a broad sense to cover livestock, cropping, horticulture and tree cropping.  1. PRODUCE PRICES. Social Credit will ensure that the farm industry is paid for exchange earned by primary products, at its internal cost expressed in N.Z. dollars. The Dairy Industry Act and the Reserve Bank Act will be amended to provide for the purchase of the exchange earned, at a variable premium. A Court of Price Review will be set up as a judicial body. This will decide on the variable premium on the exchange earned by the industry. The basic price for primary produce will be arrived at according to the following criteria, aiming to:  (a) Provide the average, efficient farmer with a good standard of living.  (b) Stimulate full use of the land.  (c) Enable farmers to pay competitive rates of pay, and meet all costs including all tariffs.  (d) Preserve capital investment in the land and allow reasonable interest on capital invested in farm and stock.  (e) Maintain the stability and efficiency of the industry in the national interest, and discourage overproduction of products with limited markets.  2. MARKETING  The orderly export marketing of primary produce, both by private interests and co-operatives, will be encouraged. The establishment of producer boards will be recommended only where there is overwhelming support of growers for such proposals.  3. FINANCE. Finance through all government agencies, for example, the Rural Banking Corporation for purchase and development, and the Land Development Corporation for marginal lands and civilian settlement will be at low interest rates.  4. PRODUCER POOL ACCOUNT. Funds in Producer Pool Accounts will become trust funds, administered by the industry.  5. CO-OPERATIVES. Co-operative company tax will be reviewed to ensure that tax is paid on all profits except those distributed to shareholders on a turnover basis by way of dividend, rebate or increased shareholding. Profits distributed to producers will be assessable income in their hands.  6. PRODUCTION INCENTIVES. Any increase in production which is in excess of the average production of the previous three years will not attract extra income tax. (Increases in production will be estimated on a cash value basis.)  7. FARM OWNERSHIP.  (a) OWNER-OCCUPIER. Social Credit believes in the principle of private individual ownership of N.Z. farmland, and that the most efficient farmer is the owner-occupier.  (b) LAND AGGREGATION. Loopholes in the Land Aggregation Act that allow purchase of land for company farming or by non-farming interests will be closed.  (c) FORESTRY. Aggregations of land for forestry will come under the Act.  (d) RESIDENCE. A five-year compulsory residence clause will apply to the purchase or lease of all economic farm units.  (e) SHAREMILKERS. The traditional role of sharemilkers or other sharefarmers will be protected when applying the compulsory residence clause.  (f) OVERSEAS OWNERSHIP. The sale of N.Z. farmland into overseas ownership will not be permitted, except under special circumstances.  (g) INDIVIDUAL EQUITY. The individual equity in the land will be protected as a Social Credit Government reduces and ultimately stabilises costs. The objective will be to ensure farm holdings remain economic units from one generation to the next.  8. LAND DEVELOPMENT.  (a) LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. A Land Development Corporation will be formed from the existing Land Development Branch of the Lands and Survey Dept. It will be responsible for development for farm purposes of Crown land together with Maori land.  (b) LAND PURCHASE. No land suitable for development and subdivision will be declined for purchase on the pretext of lack of finance.  (c) SUBDIVISION FOR SETTLEMENT. Land development will be pursued with vigour and farm units will be made available for settlement as soon as they are physically ready.  (d) LAND CORPORATION FARMS. The Land Development Corporation will continue to farm some blocks of land which are not suitable for subdivision. These blocks will provide research into livestock and crop production. The Corporation's livestock policy will be aimed at stabilising rapid changes in livestock numbers (i.e. A sudden fall in beef prices overseas causes the slaughter of beef breeding cows in large numbers. The Land Corporation would expand its breeding herd to supply an expected future shortage in cow numbers.)  (e) ABSENTEE DEVELOPERS. Existing taxation rebates, giving benefit to absentee owners for farmland development, will be abolished.  9. LAND SETTLEMENT.  (a) BALLOTS. The immediate objective will be to ballot at least 100 economic units per annum. No restrictions will be placed on who may apply, and from these applications the Land Settlement Committee will decide who is eligible. Experience, energy and ability will be of prime importance to successful applicants for ballots.  (b) LOANS. Low interest loans (See 3 above) up to the full value of the undertaking will be available to suitable applicants.  (c) PURCHASE PRICES. Values placed on the units being offered for ballot will have due regard to the productive capacity of the unit, and will not be fixed entirely on comparative sales.  (d) SPECULATION. In order to protect the Crown against possible speculation, settlement units offered for sale within seven years must be re-offered to the Land Development Corporation which will pay due compensation for all improvements effected up to time of sale.  10. LEASE/BUY SCHEME. To make the future purchase of farms possible for young farm workers, suitable farm units will be purchased and set aside for short-term leasing to intending farm owners. This lease/buy scheme will enable them to gain necessary experience and capital. The Land Development Corporation will operate this scheme. Government assistance and financial help will also be available to interested primary industries or farm organisations wishing to organise similar schemes. Large farms, available for purchase, may be bought and subdivided into smaller economic units under this scheme.  THE BASIC LEASE/BUY PLAN  (a) Initially several economic units will be set up each year for a three-year period.  (b) The Land Settlement Committee will select applicants for ballot. (No restrictions will be placed on who may apply but five years' farming experience would be desirable.)  (c) Special low deposit, low interest loans will be available for purchase of stock and chattels.  (d) Term of the lease will be seven years with right of purchase on or before termination date. Rentals will be kept to a minimum.  (e) At purchase date or termination, lessees would have the right to:  - Purchase at valuation at commencement date of lease.  - Compensation for improvements where the right of purchase is not exercised.  - Eligibility for ballots under the Social Credit land settlement policy.  11. STEPPING-STONE FARMS. Social Credit recognises the ability of some people to use farms that are less than economic units as 'stepping stones' toward ultimate farm ownership.  Finance will be available for potential owner-occupiers to purchase marginally economic farm units. The applicants will need to have outside employment which is economically and socially beneficial to the rural community.  12. IRRIGATION.  (a) COMMUNITY SCHEMES. Farmers will be given the opportunity to establish irrigation schemes where these can be shown to offer substantial benefits. At least 60 per cent of the occupiers must accept a rating charge to cover capital costs.  (b) INVESTIGATION. Full engineering, agricultural and economic investigation will be undertaken before any scheme is commenced.  (c) FINANCE. Finance at administrative cost only will be made available.  13. RURAL HOUSING.  (a) The building of accommodation in country areas and rural towns will be speeded up.  (b) Depreciation, a new house built by a farmer for his own use will qualify for initial and special depreciation where the existing house is then occupied by a farm employee. Value for depreciation purposes will be limited to the cost of providing alternative employee accommodation.  14. RURAL EDUCATION. Part of the solution to rural education problems lies in a revitalisation of rural communities. Social Credit's agricultural and regional development policies will ensure this. In the interim we will, as necessary, build country service incentives into the salaries of rural teaching staff. Adequate rental accommodation will be provided. Where pupils do not have access to local school facilities, an accommodation allowance will be granted on an appropriate cost index.  15. CAPITAL STOCK. Farmers will be given the right to choose between the present system of standard values for livestock, whereby all stock is trading stock, and a system whereby capital stock is treated as such, and only trading stock is taken into account in arriving at taxable income. No additional tax will be incurred in making the changeover.  16. DEATH DUTIES. Death duties will be set at a level that will fully exempt the economic family unit.  17. FARM EMPLOYEES' TAXATION. To encourage farm workers, the same taxation deductions as allowed to farmers will apply, that is, maintenance of their own gear and animals, car depreciation and telephone rental, if not paid by the owner.  18. DISASTER RELIEF. Suspensory loans will be available to make good serious damage caused by such disasters as flood and drought.  19. RESERVE ACCOUNTS. All farmers will be given the opportunity to voluntarily establish reserve accounts to cover disaster due to natural phenomena and not otherwise insurable, similar to the Snow Loss Reserve legislation. These reserve accounts will be inflation-proofed.  20. RATES.  (a) Rates on rural land will be assessed on a land classification system discontinued.  (b) The present land valuation system will be discontinued.  21. FARM ADVISORY SERVICES. The Farm Improvement Club concept of advisory services will be fostered and assisted.  22. PROTECTION AGAINST IMPORTED DISEASES. All goods entering New Zealand will be thoroughly inspected at their place of entry. To this end all inspection facilities will be constantly upgraded at our ports and airports.  23. NOXIOUS WEEDS. New Zealand cannot afford the continuous loss of private and public land to noxious weeds. Eradication, or at least control, will be pursued with the utmost vigour on all land whether publicly or privately owned. Where private individuals cannot stand the cost of this, the finance will be made available interest-free as a charge against the property.  24. FERTILISERS. Priority will be given to the following:  (a) Development of local resources of phosphate rock and sulphur.  (b) Research into more concentrated fertilisers, to cut transport and application costs.  (c) The role of trace elements in soil fertility.  (d) The re-use of organic materials otherwise wasted by shortcut disposal techniques.  25. PESTICIDES. An urgent programme of research will be aimed at:  a. More careful use of harmful pesticides.  b. Replacement with biological controls, followed by phasing out pesticides wherever possible.  26. PLANT BREEDING. Care will be taken to maintain a pool of original seeds from pure strains as a basis for further development.  27. ENERGY FARMING.  (a) FUEL ALCOHOL. Energy farming to produce fuel alcohol as a replacement for oil imports will be actively encouraged. This will require:  (i) Extensive annual plantings of energy-rich crops.  (ii) Energy-processing plants situated close to crop production areas to reduce transport costs.  (b) ENERGY CO-OPS. Encouragement will be given for this new energy processing industry to be developed by co-operatives of growers and the workforce at processing plants.  28. BEE-KEEPING INDUSTRY. Incentives will be given to the honey industry to realise its full potential both on the internal and export markets. Loans at low interest will be made available for the following undertakings:  (a) To beekeepers for purchase or development purposes.  (b) To beekeepers' co-operatives to provide facilities for extraction and packing of honey.  (c) To farmers to cover the cost of establishing stands of trees recognised for their pollen and nectar production.  29. GAME BIRD FARMING. Licences will be granted to commercial growers for farming pheasants and grouse.  30. HORTICULTURE. Rural Bank lending policy will give preference to persons with suitable qualifications, who are buying and developing their first orchard or other horticultural undertakings.  31. MEAT INDUSTRY.  (a) RURAL SLAUGHTERHOUSES. The establishment of small, rural slaughterhouses will be permitted. Hygiene standards, adequate for the local market, will be maintained.  (b) MEAT PRICES. A flexible minimum price system will be introduced to encourage an extended killing season and better utilisation of freezing works. Farmers will be guaranteed a reasonable return for holding stock beyond normal killing periods.  32. STOCKPILES AND MARKET SUPPORT.  (a) FINANCE. Producer Boards will be able to use finance at special rates of interest from the N.Z. Credit Authority to purchase products surplus to current market requirements.  (b) STORAGE FACILITIES. Provision of long-term storage facilities for New Zealand's agricultural export products will receive active support from Government. This is to overcome problems of New Zealand being a weak seller on export markets when there is low demand for some products.  ARTS AND CULTURE. It is not the role of government to 'feed' art and culture to the populace. Rather, it is to provide the conditions of stability and support in which it is possible for the widest range of creativity within people to be given free reign in expression and form. Promotion of the arts needs to include not only patronage and support for the traditionally-regarded 'fine arts', but also appreciation and support for all manner of visual and performing arts, and recognition of the growing place of a wide range of craftsmanship and the crafts industry in the community. A flourishing and appreciated, homegrown artistic environment can play a crucial role in the building of a satisfying, creative, balanced society. Every encouragement will be given to the development of the expression of a truly New Zealand artistic culture, one which recognises and gives equal pride of place to the advancement of indigenous Maori and Pacific cultural and artistic expression as to imported arts from Europe and North America. Promotion of the arts should be a co-operative endeavour between the government, local government, commerce, and the community in general. The objective of Social Credit policy is to harness these elements to:  (a) promote the greatest degree of professionalism in the arts.  (b) provide adequate facilities for the on-going training and support of artists, and the raising of public appreciation for the arts.  (c) make artistic endeavour accessible throughout all regions of New Zealand.  (d) develop public appreciation for homegrown New Zealand art and artists and the arts of other cultures.  1. QUEEN ELIZABETH II. ARTS COUNCIL.  a. SUPPORT. Social Credit supports the work of the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council in its principal role of underwriting and maintaining a network of professional performing arts in the fields of ballet, dance, opera, orchestra and theatre in the main centres. The Council also plays a vital role in extending support to semi-professional and community arts projects, and as the major adviser to the government concerning planning and co-ordination of the development of the arts.  b. FUNDING.  - In order to continue this work the Council's revenue must be at the very least inflation-indexed, and placed on a triennial basis, to facilitate long-term planning and development of professional arts and continuity of funding.  - Adequate funds must be assured for the continuing financing of regional and community arts councils, civic arts festivals and regional tours, by the QEII Arts Council, if local initiative is to be encouraged.  a. TAX DEFERMENT. The institution of a tax deferment scheme for professional artists recognised by the Council will be investigated. Such a scheme will assist full-time artists who earn large amounts for a small part of the tax year.  2. COUNCIL FOR MAORI AND PACIFIC ARTS. Social Credit applauds the measure of official recognition of the importance to our multi-cultural society of Maori and Pacific arts and cultures, in the setting-up of the Council of Maori and South Pacific Arts. However, to translate this expression of commitment into real support will depend on ensuring the Queen Elizabeth 11 Arts Council has sufficient funds, to support Polynesian arts, that match inflation and are in accord with the number of Maori and Pacific Island citizens in the wider New Zealand community.  3. MINISTRY OF ARTS AND CULTURE. Social Credit will establish a Ministry of Arts and Culture. This will have the effect of upgrading the National Archives, National Art Gallery and Museum, and the National Library.  4. NATIONAL SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS.  (a) As soon as practicable Social Credit will support the establishment of a National School of Performing Arts in either Auckland or Wellington. Such a school will incorporate the existing schools for ballet and drama.  (b) In co-ordination with the needs and resources of the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand and the Film Commission, a Cinema and Television Technical Training Division should be set up to promote a greater level of New Zealand content in local television and a quality, home-grown movie industry.  (c) Social Credit will extend the Standard Tertiary Bursary to students attending the school.  (d) Consideration will be given to including professional orchestra training, and the training of artists and craftsmen working in Maori and Polynesian art forms, at the school.  5. NEW ZEALAND FILM COMMISSION.  a. FUNDING. There will be a continuing need to ensure that the Film Commission has adequate funds to support film projects which are not likely to attract commercial investment. To this end, as resources allow, the Creative Film Fund will be extended to match losses brought about through inflation.  b. ARCHIVES. Moves to establish a National Film Archives will be supported.  6. VISUAL ARTS. The work of community art galleries and museums in displaying New Zealand and foreign art works will be encouraged.  - ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL. The provision of international Standards of environmental control in major civic art galleries will be promoted through the granting of suspensory loans to finance such work.  - CAREER STRUCTURES. Social Credit will investigate the setting up of attractive salary scales and career structures to attract skilled technical staff into the work of conservation and preservation of our art works in art galleries.  7. CONSERVATION.  (a) HISTORIC PLACES TRUST. Social Credit will continue to support the work of the Historic Places Trust in preserving our architectural and cultural heritage. A national fund to facilitate the purchase and restoration of buildings and maraes of national and local significance will be inflation-indexed.  (b) ARCHIVES. The recommendations of the Stolow and Smith Reports will be implemented, as priorities allow. These concern the priorities of restoring and preserving museum and art gallery collections, the status of the National Archives, and the establishment of regional archives.  8. ENTERTAINMENT AND RECORDING INDUSTRY.  - MINIMUM NEW ZEALAND CONTENT. Social Credit supports moves to establish a minimum New Zealand content in radio and television programmes. This will provide exposure of N.Z. talent and the employment of our own actors and recording artists.  - SALES TAX. Sales tax imposed by recent budgets on New Zealand-made records and New Zealand filmmakers' film stock will be reviewed, in order to be more competitive on the world market.  9. CRAFTS. The crafts are a particularly important aspect of local individual creativity. The great majority of crafts produced are the products of small-scale, part-time creative pursuits. The imposition of sales tax on such products of the kiln and hand-loom is unjustified unless the creator sees it as his principal source of income, and it is well in excess of the cost of living or minimum award wage. Moves to establish local arts centres and equipment pools to facilitate the production and display of crafts will be supported.  10. CULTURAL INITIATIVES AND EXCHANGES.  (a) Use of the Cultural Facilities Scheme to fund local initiatives to acquire adequate supplies of artistic equipment in local centres, and to construct theatres and concert chambers, will be maintained.  (b) A national festivals fund will be set up to underwrite civic and regional arts festivals and encourage their bringing of international artists of renown to New Zealand.  11. PRIVATE ARTS SPONSORSHIP. Tax concessions to encourage business houses to sponsor the arts will be established.  12. PUBLIC LENDING RIGHT. The Author's Fund Scheme, to recompense New Zealand authors for library use of their works, will be maintained against the cost of living and the increasing numbers of authors qualifying for payments from the fund.  Broadcasting. Social Credit is committed to a free and responsible media, private enterprise participation, educational television, and FM radio.  1. Freedom of media. Social Credit notes with concern the increasing attacks on the traditional freedom of the media worldwide, and in New Zealand. We oppose such attacks and uphold the need for a free and responsible media in New Zealand in the Ws.  2. OPEN ACCESS BROADCASTING. In our developing multicultural society the main ethnic groups must have greater opportunity to place aspects of their culture before the community. This will promote better communication and community understanding and will produce a more tolerant and compassionate society.  3. OWNERSHIP OF RADIO AND TELEVISION  Social Credit recognises that the ownership of radio and television must be domestic, and not open to overseas participation. The effect of both media in the life and development of our country is so significant that only domestic ownership can reflect and protect the needs and aspirations of New Zealand society, in its programming and planning.  4. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. Social Credit is philosophically and politically committed to the principle of private enterprise participation in radio and television.  (a) Private enterprise television will be given the opportunity to compete with existing television services, or participate in existing services either on a regional or nation-wide basis for available unused time.  (b) Radio will continue to be developed on a community basis in both the private and public sectors. Warrants will be issued, subject to review, on an ongoing basis.  5. BROADCASTING ACT. Public and privately-owned television will be bound by the principles and standards set out in the Broadcasting Act.  6. EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION. Social Credit is committed to the development of educational television at all levels. In areas of adult education television will provide a stimulating challenge to those who are housebound or disabled and unable to attend physically at educational institutions. Both channels will be required to provide a greater amount of time for this invaluable social contribution, which will provide multi-cultural participation. Radio will continue to have a developing role in the area of education, and will be encouraged.  7. MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY. While the prime function of the media is to entertain and inform, Social Credit also recognises the need to promote the multi-cultural richness of New Zealand society. More use will be made of television to promote racial understanding and harmony. Maoritanga will be given significantly more prominence. News in Maori will be read at prime time daily on television, and news in other Polynesian languages will be phased in as expertise develops and demand dictates.  8. GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA. While approving the independence of the media, the Social Credit League also recognises the need for the Prime Minister to address the people on matters of grave importance. Time will be limited to ten minutes. Leaders of the other parliamentary parties will be given similar facilities to address the nation at such times.  9. F.M. RADIO. Social Credit is committed to introducing F.M. radio at the earliest possible date. Initially, private enterprise will be given the opportunity.  10. THE ARTS. Support for the National Orchestra will be continued and extended. Further development and portrayal of New Zealand art form will be encouraged.  11. OVERSEAS SERVICE. Overseas broadcasting will be reintroduced and extended to all those countries where New Zealand has cultural and extensive trading links.  12. FUNDING.  (a) Finance will be provided by licence fees, advertising and by the development of revenue-producing trading departments. The latter will sell more aggressively and effectively the products and by-products of the radio and television services.  (b) In those areas where Television Two is not received, a reduction in the licence fee will be granted, thus reinstating the equitable principle of the user pays.  (c) Pensioners, and those in receipt of 100% disability pensions will be exempt from paying a licence fee. Social Credit will establish an Advertising Code of ethics.  13. RIGHT OF APPEAL. Any society, person, or persons alleging bias or unfair treatment in the allocation of radio and television time, will have a right of appeal to the administrative division of the High Court or Ombudsman.  DEFENCE. A Social Credit Government will introduce a joint Defence and Foreign Affairs policy by pursuing an overriding objective of humanitarianism and of peace in the world community.  1. TRADE AND AID. Trade and aid will be regarded as the most effective defence weapons. We will promote a bilateral trading policy with nations of the Pacific Basin using a system of reciprocal credits, the cornerstone of a new New Zealand international approach.  2. NEW ZEALAND ARMED SERVICES. Social Credit will expand the role and function of our present armed forces to meet the requirements of an independent foreign policy and render us able to meet the commitment to our Pacific neighbours. This will mean major changes to our priorities and defence planning.  3. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL. Administrative control of the New Zealand Defence Services will be vested in the present New Zealand Defence Council, which includes as voting members the Minister of Defence and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and which has the authority to appoint other associate members. The Defence Council will oversee the actual reorganisation programme brought about by the expansion of roles, and will itself undergo changes in both composition and function as the reorganisation proceeds.  4. ARMY. The New Zealand Army will continue to be based on regional militia, and will take part in the following units and programmes:  (a) New Zealand International Peacekeeping Unit (as a contribution to the United Nations' Peacekeeping Force).  (b) Home Defence Unit (to ensure the retention of valid New Zealand-based defence strategies).  (c) New Zealand Civil Defence Organisation.  (d) New Zealand Emergency Relief Force.  (e) Search and Rescue Organisation.  (f) Mutual assistance programmes in the South Pacific.  5. NAVY.  (a) The Navy's present primary role as an anti-submarine unit of a multi-national task force will give way to a new primary role as an independent force capable of a wide variety of duties including maritime surveillance, defence, fisheries protection, coastguard duties and search and rescue.  (b) As the present force of anti-submarine frigates is phased out it will be replaced by multi-purpose modern vessels of sufficient capabilities to fulfil the above roles, yet with sufficient range to police our entire South Pacific sphere of responsibility. The Service will include a suitable supply ship for Scott Base and our island meteorological stations.  6. COASTGUARD SERVICE.  (a) A New Zealand Volunteer Coastguard Service will be formed from the present Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve and existing volunteer coastguard organisations. It will bear the same relation-ship to the Navy as the RNZNVR presently bears to the RNZN.  (b) The existing Sea Cadet Corps of the New Zealand Cadet Forces will form the basis of the New Zealand Coastguard Cadet Auxiliary, which shall essentially provide coastguard training for youth.  7. AIR FORCE.  (a) Present strike and retaliation capacity will be maintained, but the emphasis will be on maritime and fisheries protection, search and rescue, emergency transport and civil defence work. Suitable aircraft will be acquired for these purposes.  (b) A Civil Air Patrol will be established as an equivalent of the Coastguard Service, on a similar basis to the defunct Territorial Air Force, and will incorporate aero club volunteers.  (c) The existing Air Training Corps of the New Zealand Cadet Forces will form the basis of a New Zealand Civil Air Patrol Cadet Auxiliary.  8. MUTUAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES. Peaceful assistance programmes through the various units of the Services will be maintained and, where appropriate, extended. The South Pacific will be the priority region of operation for this work.  9. EMERGENCY RELIEF FORCE. A special Emergency Relief Force, on permanent alert, and drawing its equipment and personnel from the armed services and civilian volunteer organisations will be established. In cases of disaster in the Pacific Region (such as earthquake, flood or hurricane), the unit will be flown in immediately, as an expression of New Zealand's concern to help in a tangible way.  10. CIVIL DEFENCE.  (a) Recent history has highlighted the vital nature of the role to be played by the Civil Defence Organisation. In order to strengthen the organisation and efficiency of the service, it will be incorporated into the Defence Service as an independent unit, supported in particular by the army and air force. The new unit will be responsible for regional planning and administration, and will draw on community services for additional manpower where needed.  (b) Secondary schools will be encouraged to establish school civil defence units as part of their extracurricular programmes.  11. NUCLEAR SHIPS. A Social Credit Government will not permit the entry of any nuclear-armed warships into New Zealand ports or harbours, unless there are extenuating circumstances, dictated by urgent strategic considerations related to the immediate defence of New Zealand from external aggression.  12. LABORATORY OF MILITARY SCIENCE. An investigation will be conducted into the merits of establishing a New Zealand Laboratory of Military Science, incorporating present units engaged in this work. Such a laboratory would conduct research into methods of defence against the more potent chemical and biological weapons that have been developed, and other similar projects.  13. CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. Training, equipment and conditions of service will be of a high standard, and will equate with those in the equivalent civilian occupations and industries. Rationalisation and standardisation of equipment will proceed carefully and with full consultation  Education. Education is so important to the country's future that it will have the highest priority in Government expenditure.  THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION. Social Credit envisages a society of individuals, responsible and independent, yet members of a community of which each is a valued part. Our economic philosophy, based on personal initiative and enterprise, requires people equipped and able to play their part. The country's egalitarian tradition, and the spirit of self-reliance, require that all New Zealanders see themselves as persons with a value to the community, persons with an image of self-dignity resting on a confidence in their role as productive members of society. In such a society, education has a vital role to play in fostering that image of personal worth and in minimising relative disadvantage between people, whether inherited or natural, so that equality of opportunity becomes more a reality than simply an ideal. It becomes the task of the education process in a community that emphasises individuality, to promote co-operation and a recognition of the worth and abilities others. The education system must encourage diversity, while ensuring it does not foster division. Education must play a greater role in tomorrow's society. The mentality which demands cut-backs in social spending by Government must not be applied to education because, properly directed, resources devoted to education will, in the long run, enhance the independence of people, not increase dependence on the state. Each person must be able to see and freely choose appropriate opportunities, in order to play the part of a free, responsible citizen. It is for this reason that Social Credit continues to regard education as the highest priority in Government spending.  THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM THE PERSON. Education in a participant society, emphasising the importance of the person, must be achieved through a system based firmly on the individual's need to develop uniqueness. Today's narrow choice between a sterile uniformity and inherited distinctions based on socio-economic class is insufficient to achieve this. The education system should be designed to fit the individual, rather than mould the individual to suit the system.  THE FAMILY. The primary responsibility for education rests, not with the state, but in the home environment, with the parents. Education in New Zealand is very much a partnership between the family and a state-supported school system. This partnership can easily become obscured as education becomes increasingly an area for specialists. For this reason, Social Credit will greatly decentralise administrative responsibility inviting increased parental involvement, extending into subject options and curricula, and emphasising the relationship between teacher and pupil as being one of 'in loco parentis'.  THE COMMUNITY. Notions of economic efficiency have too often determined the size of our schools. Too little attention has been paid to de school as an integral part of the community it serves. Schools, as with hospitals, police stations and other community facilities, have tended to become removed and impersonal. Social Credit wants such services to be more closely identified with and influenced by the people they serve. This will foster a sense of neighbourhood and help reduce urban living to a more personal scale. School facilities should be readily available for community use. With its emphasis on continuing education Social Credit will ensure that members of the community are more fully catered for. In this respect greater flexibility in design of school buildings is called for. Decentralisation of decision-making in schools more closely tied to the community, will allow for the needs of minority groups to be catered for as a response to local demand, rather than through a patronising directive imposed from Wellington.  FREEDOM OF CHOICE. Along with decentralisation of administrative responsibility, diversity of character must, as far as possible, be a feature of our national education system. In a real sense, Social Credit endorses the relevant provision of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children. Diversity and freedom of choice must also mean that the part played by private schools in the education system is welcomed. The right to a state-supported education is based on citizenship and does arise from enrolment at a 'state' school. Hence, Social Credit would develop a truly national system of education and is committed to financial assistance to recognised private schools in the form of an Education Benefit based on the cost of education in the public network, as a capitation grant.  CONTINUING EDUCATION. An education system integrated more with the community it serves can more easily cater for Social Credit's emphasis on education as an ongoing process, with pro-vision of facilities for those well beyond school age. A programme of summer schools, to enable fuller use of education facilities in the long vacation, and an Open University will be developed. Adult education will be fully catered for and specialist training courses will be set up at Teachers' Colleges. We will support adult literacy programmes. A network of Education Shops will be developed in major centres as part of a programme for taking education to the people Social Credit believes all citizens are entitled to 14 years free education at school and will institute a system whereby a person, upon reaching 14 years of age, may take the remaining five years at any time after that.  IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMME.  1. INITIAL STEPS. A Social Credit Government will:  (a) implement an incomes policy that will enable parents more effectively to play a more vital part in the education process.  (b) institute a national education system with a maximum of decentralisation on a regional and community basis, incorporating both public and private schools.  (c) appoint three Under-Secretaries to the Minister of Education with responsibility respectively in the fields of:  - Special Education Needs.  - University Education.  - Vocational Training.  2. TEACHERS.  (a) TEACHERS' FEDERATION. We will promote the formation of a New Zealand Teachers' Federation, as an umbrella organisation for all groups in the teaching profession, enabling a unified approach on matters of concern.  (b) PROFESSIONAL STATUS. The importance of the teaching profession will be recognised through:  - according the Trained Teacher's Certificate greater recognition in salary scales.  - granting teaching bodies the right to deter-mine their own code of ethics, and the authority to deregister any person, subject to right of appeal, not attaining such standards.  (a) STUDY LEAVE. A system of study leave will be progressively extended to all in the teaching profession with appropriate guarantees to protect advancement in their field. Where appropriate, loans may be made for overseas study.  (b) ANCILLARY AND SPECIALIST SERVICES. A Social Credit Government will guarantee adequate provision of specialist teaching, clerical, teacher aid, guidance, and trained library staffing for all schools, on an individual school basis where appropriate. Educational psychologists will be appointed on a ratio in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.  (c) TEACHER TRAINING:  - We will promote close links between Teachers' Colleges and Universities, with cross-crediting of courses where appropriate leading to a degree in education. Through summer school students will be able to gain credits towards degrees and diplomas.  - To improve linkage with schools in-service courses will be further promoted, and a system of periodic return to the classroom situation for college lecturers will be instituted. Classroom experience will receive more emphasis in teacher training.  - Adequate provision will be made for the training of specialist teachers for specialist services.  - A course in Maori Studies will be undertaken by all trainees, designed by specialists in this field.  - Teachers' Colleges will be provided with sufficient resources for research to enable them to evaluate their programmes and explore new learning and teaching approaches.  - Residential training centres, such as Hogben House, will be retained for short, regional, teacher in-service training.  2. ADMINISTRATION.  (a) DECENTRALISATION. Social Credit will take steps to decentralise administration within the Education Department:  - to achieve a reduction of administration by the Department.  - to provide closer involvement of the Department at regional level with education boards and school committees  (b) BOUNDARIES. Social Credit will investigate aligning the boundaries of Departmental district and education board areas with regional development and other administrative boundaries.  (c) COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITY. We will aim to allow individual school committees and school boards greater responsibility. Elections will be on an annual basis with safeguards for continuity.  (d) REGIONAL EDUCATION CENTRES. A network of regional education centres will be established. These will be based on administrative regions and will bring together teachers and others in the field for the purpose of curriculum development, evaluation of materials, and in-service courses. The centres will work closely with Teachers' Colleges. The centres will be progressively linked with education boards and the Department on a regional basis. Resource libraries will be established, including video-tapes and materials for multi-cultural situations. Bulk purchase of textbooks and teaching aids, where appropriate, will enable substantial savings to be negotiated.  (e) INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS. Under a national education system, with grants to independent schools replaced by payment of the Education Benefit, integration, as in the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act, 1975, will become unnecessary. All independent schools, whether integrated or not, will have their rights fully protected and will be able to exercise either option subject to their being taxed on surplus income. All schools will be required to meet the same educational and administrative standards. Superannuation and grading rights of all teachers in the national education system will be fully protected.  (f) RURAL EDUCATION. Rural schools require a higher per pupil capital investment to ensure true community use. Part of the solution to rural education problems lies however, in a revitalisation of rural communities, and Social Credit's agricultural and regional development policies will ensure this. Adequate rental accommodation will be provided.  Where pupils do not have access to local school facilities, an accommodation allowance will be granted on an appropriate cost index.  (g) SIZE OF SCHOOLS. A Social Credit Government will aim for a maximum roll for primary schools of around 500, and for secondary schools, of around 800. Regional education authorities will be asked to evaluate restructuring schools on a regional basis, expanding Intermediates to become Junior High Schools covering Forms 1 to 4, and constituting Forms 5 to 7 as Senior High Schools or Colleges.  (h) SCHOOL LUNCHES. School lunch schemes, providing cheap wholesome meals and operated at regional or school level, will be promoted.  (i) DISABLED PERSONS. The Education Act, 1964, will be amended to ensure that disabled persons of all ages have access to a normal education environment.  4. CURRICULA.  (a) LOCAL NEEDS. The regional education centres will work closely with the Department in designing new subjects reflecting locally-expressed needs. This will foster diversification and experimentation in school courses.  (b) PHYSICAL EDUCATION. Social Credit will devote more resources to this area than has been the case.  (c) NEW COURSES. We will seriously consider courses of instruction in human ecology and environmental studies, interpersonal relationships and computer awareness for various levels of the curriculum. Outdoor education programmes will be fostered. A course in various aspects of the law, as it affects everyday life will be introduced at secondary level. This will enable school leavers to have a basic knowledge of their rights and duties as citizens, consumers, parents and householders.  5. EXAMINATIONS.  (a) CERTIFICATE OF ATTAINMENT. Social Credit will institute a Certificate of Attainment covering the various aspects of a pupil's secondary education based, as appropriate, partly on external examination and partly on internal assessment. The aim of such a certificate is to enable all pupils to finish their formal schooling with a record of achievement that is not based on some arbitrary success-failure line. The certificate, issued at whatever stage a pupil leaves school, would enable an amalgamation of the functions of School Certificate, Sixth Form Certificate, and Higher School Certificate to be investigated.  (b) UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE. Entrance to university should be based on sitting an external examination set at a level appropriate for fifth-year pupils. The examination would be open to sixth or seventh form pupils and need be set only with those intending to attend university in mind. As such, it would complement the Certificate of Attainment, and not be regarded as a progression from it. The question of its being designed to combine the functions of the present Entrance, Bursary, and Scholarship examinations, will be investigated.  6. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.  (a) FACILITIES. A Social Credit Government will expand facilities to make pre-school education facilities more widely available, based on the local community. To this end teacher training must be organised on the same basis as applies to primary teacher trainees.  (b) COMMUNITY. Community centres will be used where these are adequate. Where appropriate, early childhood education centres will be sited with schools, to encourage closer liaison with parents and schools.  (c) GRANTS. Playcentre grants will be paid on the same basis as applies to kindergartens.  (d) STAFF/CHILD RATIOS. Social Credit will negotiate with teacher representatives to achieve more realistic staff/child ratios.  7. TERTIARY EDUCATION. Modern society has become sufficiently complex to require that schools be devoted almost entirely to providing a broad general education, better enabling students to see their particular role in society. It is at tertiary level that specialisation must be catered for. Hence, Social Credit stresses the complementary nature of universities and technical institutions, and aims to achieve a greater rationalisation of functions to avoid duplication of facilities. Universities and technical institutes should be seen as differing in courses offered, not in status.  (a) CROSS-CREDITING. Social Credit will further encourage cross-crediting of courses between universities and technical institutes, with mutual recognition of qualifications.  (b) AUTONOMY. We will grant a comparable degree of administrative and professional autonomy.  (c) LIAISON WITH INDUSTRY. Social Credit wishes for a greater liaison between industry and tertiary education facilities, both in research and practical application, and in determining needs for particular skills.  (d) BURSARIES. We will pay bursaries on an annually renewable basis, indexed automatically to the cost of tertiary study.  (e) LIBERAL STUDIES. We will promote the extension of Liberal Studies-type courses to make tertiary study facilities more accessible to the community generally. See, also, our commitment to summer schools and an Open University.  (f) CHAIR OF AQUACULTURE. We will establish a Chair of Aquaculture at a selected university and encourage and extend aquatic research facilities throughout the country.  ENERGY. Our aim is energy self-sufficiency, a sustainable level of economic growth, and the careful husbanding (and the curbing of exports) of our non-renewable resources.  A Social Credit Government will direct its efforts to achieve energy self-sufficiency for New Zealand. The depletion of proven world reserves of fossil hydrocarbons, the price increases associated with international competition for scarce commodities, political uncertainties and New Zealand's isolation make energy self-sufficiency a matter of peculiar urgency. If Social Credit policies are vigorously pursued, the goal can be reached within twenty years. Social Credit will choose the path of 'soft' technology (See 11) owned and controlled by a wide spectrum of individual New Zealanders, so that energy self-sufficiency will be a boon not a burden to our people. Because the 'soft' technologies are technically simpler, cheaper to install and maintain, cleaner and decentralised, the burdens of foreign indebtedness, pollution and major disruptions from mechanical failure, natural disaster, human error, sabotage or war are all reduced to a minimum. Great caution will be exercised in accepting capital intensive, energy intensive industrial growth which depends on imported 'hard' technology owned and controlled by international cartels and their N.Z. subsidiaries. Social Credit recognises, however, that imported technology is still essential in the fields of oil exploration and oil refining. Social Credit will select a level of economic growth which can be sustained in the long term. All primary and secondary industry will be examined with the aim of improving the ratio of energy input to out-put. The export of non-renewable resources for immediate financial relief will be resisted. We will carefully husband fossil energy and encourage a shift of emphasis from non-renewable to renewable sources.  SUMMARY OF ENERGY OPTIONS PREFERRED BY SOCIAL CREDIT  YES:  - Hydroelectric power.  - Geothermal electric power.  - Cogeneration of power with industrial process steam.  - Thermally efficient combustion of coal.  - Direct use of natural gas and organically produced methane.  - Direct use of geothermal steam.  - Geothermal and industrial heat exchangers in fuel fermentation, timber drying, horticulture and district heating.  - Solar heating, construction of buildings for solar advantage.  - Insulation of buildings.  - Fuel-efficient cars.  - Transport CNG.  - Ethanol.  - Electric rail.  - Wind and coal-powered coastal shipping.  - Integrated rail- truck shipping freight movement.  - Integrated bus rail public transport.  - Car pooling.  - Local condensates, shales and pyrolysates.  NO:  - Oil or gas-fired thermal electric power.  - Oil heating.  - Nuclear Power.  - Imported petroleum. Imported diesel. Methanol-petrol mixtures.  - Synthetic petrol.  - Imported crude oils.  1. PLANNING (See Environment 2 and 3)  2. CARE FOR ENVIRONMENT (See Environment 1, 5 and 10)  3. HYDROELECTRIC POWER.  (a) HYDRO RESOURCES. It will be the duty of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment to protect wild rivers by environmental zoning. Further, he must ensure that the development of electric power from hydro resources will in no way diminish or eliminate the valuable contribution that continuing sustained yield from the land will provide to the national economy for the years ahead. This factor, neglected by successive governments, is of particular relevance to development in the Clutha Valley.  (b) IRRIGATION. Irrigation schemes will go hand in hand with hydroelectric development.  (c) FISHING. Efforts will be made to conserve fishing in dammed rivers.  (d) SMALL, LOCAL PLANTS. Although small, local hydro plants appear to be not as economic as the major schemes, they can be developed to good advantage for the overall security of New Zealand. In times of national disaster it is very evident that smaller, regional schemes prove invaluable in ensuring that essential services are maintained. To encourage small, private hydroelectric schemes, Social Credit will do away with the requirement for people to pay a levy on their own water to the Electricity Division of M.O.E.  (e) LAKE MANAPOURI. Lake Manapouri will not be raised above the present high water level and every effort will be made to stabilise the water level.  4. GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.  (a) POTENTIAL. Every effort will be made to realise the full energy potential from geothermal development. At present New Zealand's geothermal power stations convert 8% of their energy input to electricity and discard the remainder as thermal pollution. Huge potential exists for direct use of geothermal steam in industry, district heating and the supply of low-grade heat for fuel fermentation, timber drying, agriculture and horticulture.  (b) WATER WASTE. To maintain steam pressure and to protect waterways from chemical or thermal pollution, waste water from geothermal schemes will be reinjected into the substratum.  (c) NEW ZEALAND OWNERSHIP. A Social Credit Government will guarantee that geothermal energy is owned and controlled by New Zealanders.  5. NO NUCLEAR FISSION REACTORS. Social Credit opposes the installation in New Zealand of nuclear fission electric power stations (i.e. thermal and breeder reactors fuelled by uranium, plutonium or thorium) on the following grounds:  - The very high capital cost of building reactors has not been offset, as earlier predicted, by a high capacity factor and consequent consistent low running costs. Furthermore a number of reactors have been decommissioned long before their power output equalled initial resource input.  - New Zealand has no fuel grade deposits of uranium and she lacks the requisite supporting technology and industry. Reactors would therefore depend very heavily on foreign money, technology and fuel.  - The distances over which fabricated and spent fuel rods would have to be transported would add greatly to the cost and to the risks of handling accidents, sabotage and theft of weapons-grade material.  - New Zealand's unstable surface would significantly increase risks attending the storage of long-life-radio-active wastes. New Zealand's major primary industries (i.e. all food and beverage production) would be most seriously damaged by either sudden accident-al or insidiously gradual build-up and distribution of radioactive isotopes in the environment.  - New Zealand has and should develop indigenous power sources sufficient for the foreseeable future. (See Environment 11).  6. COAL. New Zealand's vast reserves of coal will be carefully husbanded, since they are our most important non-renewable resource and the feedstock of essential petrochemicals, the value of which will increase with time.  (a) CONSERVATION. Specialised coal deposits will be conserved for the purposes to which they are most essential.  (b) EXPORT. Social Credit does not favour the export of any coal. Severe restrictions, applying explicitly, but not exclusively, to Mt Davy coal, will be placed on the export of metallurgical coking coal.  (c) LIGNITE. We do not favour the rapid exploitation of Southland lignite for the production of synthetic petrol for export.  (d) BY-PRODUCTS. With the needs of local industry in mind, we will establish as they are needed, petrochemical plants which extract the following by-products from coal:  - nitrogenous fertilisers for horticulture.  - dyes for woollen mills.  - metallurgical coke for steel making.  - plastics and solvents.  - oils and petroleum products for domestic use.  (e) GAS, ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION. Inefficient use of coal in the production of gas or electricity will be phased out as soon as it is practical to do so. We will, however, encourage combustion of coal in large and small-scale operations, by methods which have high thermal efficiency.  7. NATURAL GAS.  (a) FUEL. Social Credit will use natural gas as a premium fuel. We will resist attempts, under the take or pay contract, to consume gas at a maximum rate, regardless of wastage, in order to recoup expenditure and make a profit. Public outcry halted plans to commission gas-fired thermal power stations and has deterred flaring-off. Newer attempts to get at the immediately profitable LPG and condensate include reinjection of methane (in spite of technical difficulties), the production of methanol for export and the even less efficient conversion of methanol to synthetic petrol.  (b) RETICULATION. Social Credit will undertake reticulation of natural gas throughout both North and South Islands, and will complete the programme as quickly as possible. Where piped gas is available private service stations will be licensed to retail compressed natural gas to private motorists.  (c) INCENTIVES. Social Credit will introduce a variety of financial incentives (e.g. suspensory loans for garages installing CNG equipment, abolition of duty and tax on domestic gas appliances and motor vehicle conversion equipment) to encourage the use of natural gas in homes, industries and transport.  (d) METHANE. We will encourage the production of methane from organic material to supplement, and eventually replace, fossil natural gas.  (e) LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS. Liquefied Petroleum Gas is too small a fraction of the Maui output to warrant its widespread use in domestic heating or transport. The risks associated with its use are such that large bulk storage should not be sited in built-up areas, and the movement of tankers through the urban environs should be minimised. Handled only by those who know the drill and sold directly to the industry, it is a useful fuel and chemical feedstock.  8. OIL EXPLORATION. Social Credit acknowledges the need for foreign assistance in oil exploration but will secure majority shareholding of oil strikes to the Crown. As a condition of drilling rights, oil companies will be required to employ and train some New Zealand staff in all aspects of the operation (See Environment 11). Geological survey staff and, funds will be increased to allow full evaluation of data available from drilling.  9. OIL REFINING. Future development at Marsden Point refinery will be directed away from bulk throughput of petroleum towards the production of aviation fuels and shipping diesel from crude oil, condensate, shales, ethanol concentrate or pyrolysates of wood and coal.  10. ETHANOL PRODUCTION.  (a) COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION. Social Credit will stimulate, as a major part of its energy self-sufficiency programme, the immediate, extensive, commercial production of fuel ethanol from wood, crops and other suitable biomass (See Agriculture 27 and Forestry 4 and 6).  (b) PRODUCTION PLANTS. In line with Social Credit's policies on regional development and co-operative enterprise, production plants will be widely dispersed throughout the country.  (a) INCENTIVES. Financial incentives (e.g. reduction of duty and tax) will be offered those converting or purchasing vehicles which use ethanol.  11. INTEGRATED APPROACH TO SOFT TECHNOLOGY.  (a) ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES. Social Credit will encourage greater research by both Government and independent bodies into the development and use of alternative energy sources, mg. solar, wind, wave, geothermal or any other environmentally-sound scheme, to harness renewable resources.  (b) INCENTIVES FOR NEW METHODS, INSTALLATIONS.  - Grants, commensurate with the importance of the development, will be made to any individual, company or corporation which discovers or develops any new method of generating electricity from renewable resources.  - Social Credit will encourage any domestic or industrial installation which will lessen energy consumption or utilise traditional energy resources more efficiently (e.g. solar heating panels, insulation, space-heating, heat pumps.)  - Energy supply authorities will be encouraged to develop their own power resources where it can be shown that it is economically sound and in the public interest.  - Industries will be encouraged to establish their own power plants with energy from indigenous sources.  (a) COGENERATION. We will encourage the cogeneration of electricity as a by-product of process steam, the use of waste hot water in district heating and the 'twinning' of facilities, mg. siting of a thermal power station next to a sewer treatment plant, so that waste heat from one can be used to ferment fuel for the other.  (b) SURPLUS ENERGY. Provision will be made to feed back into the national reticulation grids surplus gas, electricity or steam produced by local and private plants.  (c) SITING. Transmission losses will be minimised by siting industry near power stations.  12. ENERGY CONSERVATION.  (a) EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN. Social Credit will launch an imaginative campaign, including television programmes, to teach the whole community how to get the greatest return for the least energy input. The programmes will be designed for the benefit of the following groups:  - farmers, foresters and gardeners.  - those engaged in light and heavy industry.  - vehicle owners.  - builders, architects, town planners and owners or occupiers of business premises.  - home owners.  - school children.  (b) ORGANIC WASTES. Naked chemicals are leached more rapidly from soil to ground water than those bound to colloidal humus and, besides polluting waterways, they represent an accelerating waste of energy used to produce and spread them. Every effort will therefore be made to return organic wastes to the soil.  (c) INDUSTRIAL WASTES. Industrial wastes with a high energy input during manufacture will be recycled.  (d) TRANSPORT FUEL. Consumption of transport fuel will be reduced by means of:  - vehicle efficiency, modification and replacement.  - car pooling.  - fast, frequent, cheap, integrated bus and rail public transport in all major cities.  - staggered working hours.  - integrated, complementary freight movement by truck, rail and coastal shipping.  (e) URBAN SPRAWL. Urban sprawl will be checked (See Environment 8) and local bodies will be encouraged to study and heed the energy dynamics of town planning.  13. GROWTH PATTERNS FOR THE FUTURE. New energy-Intensive industries will be developed only within the context of economic growth which can be sustained long-term.  (a) COMALCO CONTRACT. The Comalco contract will be subject to periodic renegotiation relative to economic and ecological conditions at the time, and the use of available resources. Factors to be considered in renegotiation must be;  - regional development in Southland.  - the price of locally-produced aluminium compared with imported aluminium.  - the energy requirements of New Zealand as a whole.  - the replacement cost of energy consumed by the smelter.  (b) NO MORE SMELTERS.  - No extension to the metal smelting industry will proceed unless there are clear economic and social ,advantages to New Zealand.  - Social Credit opposes the establishment of a second aluminium smelter anywhere in New Zealand.  14. DISTRIBUTION AND PRICE OF ENERGY.  (a) ENERGY CORPORATION. Social Credit will convert the Electricity Department into a public Energy Corporation, handling bulk supply of electricity and district heating.  (b) LOCAL DISTRIBUTION. The local distribution and retailing of complementary energy forms (gas, electricity and district heating) will be entrusted to elected, district energy authorities.  (c) UNIFORM PRICE. Energy supply authorities will be charged a price per unit for each form of indigenous energy which is uniform throughout New Zealand and related only to production and average bulk distribution costs, not international relativities.  (d) SOUTH ISLAND DISCOUNT. To discourage population drift from south to north, a Social Credit Government will discount the price of electricity to South Island domestic and industrial users by a figure to be announced from time to time.  (e) CONSERVATION INCENTIVE. To encourage energy conservation, price discounts will reward supply authorities which significantly reduce their peak-load electricity requirements from the national grid.  (f) PETROL TAX. Sufficient of the present petrol tax will be transferred from the Consolidated Fund to the National Roads Board to promote a progressive programme. The balance will be devoted to the development of alternative fuels.  ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES. Protection of the environment, human well being and ecological sanity should have a higher priority than economics, not vice-versa.  Social Credit will legislate to give protection of the environment higher priority than economics. Human well being and sound ecology, not the profit motive, will govern decisions. Land is our heritage and the basis of national identity. Severe restrictions will be placed on the ownership or control of land by people who are not New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. The principle of private ownership is one of trust. We must ensure that future generations receive land in a condition as good as, or better than, when it was first developed. Our aims are the preservation of the wilderness, conservation of soil and catchment, sustained yield from forest and sea (See Forestry and Marine), a growth rate which can be maintained long-term (See Energy) and regional development. The latter will establish and safeguard balanced, self-reliant communities dispersed throughout the country. We will fight pollution and the undue concentration of population in a few large cities. Any proposed development and use of natural resources will be subject to a full cost-benefit analysis, including social and environmental costs. Decision-making will be decentralised as far as possible. Informal and formal public involvement will be sought. Where decision rests with Government, Social Credit will favour long-term benefits over short-term financial returns. The National Development Act will be reviewed. An equitable streamlining of planning procedures will be introduced for the benefit of all interested parties.  1. MINISTRY, LAW AND CONSERVATION CODE.  (a) MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT. New attitudes and a new philosophy are urgently needed to preserve our natural heritage. To this end, the office of Minister for the Environment will be expanded to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. The Commission for the Environment will become the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The Ministry will establish a N.Z. Nature Conservancy, directly responsible to the Minister.  (b) CONSERVATION CODE. Social Credit will also establish a body of environmental law expressed in a Conservation Code. Where applicable, legislative acts will be subject to the Code (See 10). All commercial ventures (public and private) and all national development conducted by public bodies or government departments will be subject to the provisions of the Code, which will be enforced by the Department of Justice. The Conservation Code will incorporate a procedure which Councils (county, borough and city) may readily follow for the protection of trees and areas of bush, both native and exotic, which Councils consider important to the whole community. The form and extent of such tree preservation ordinances will be determined by each Council, in accordance with the requirements of its community and its ability to administer them efficiently.  2. FUNCTIONS OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY. The functions of the Nature Conservancy will be to brief the Minister and set the objectives of the Ministry, to carry out long-term planning in all fields concerning natural resources (See 3,5, Energy, and Forestry) to co-ordinate research related to ecology (See 4) and to administer the day-to-day working of the Conservation Code. Social Credit is concerned that the present fragmentation of departments and services, with responsibility in environmental matters, has led to duplication and anomalies in administration. At regional level the Nature Conservancy will:  - Determine scientifically, on the basis of the physical properties of soil, topography and water relationships, the best land use within each region.  - Achieve a healthier urban, suburban and rural environment, and diversify commercial crops by the strategic placement of forests and stands of trees.  - With the assistance of Development Banks (See Finance 6v) and private enterprise, establish industries which process local primary production, so that steady employment opportunities in each region foster rational population distribution and the growth of stable communities.  3. PLANNING. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will set up a planning agency to project the nation's development and environment for the succeeding fifty years, in order to know what its priorities should be and how to achieve them.  4. RESEARCH. The Nature Conservancy will enjoy a generous budget from which it may commission research by universities, the Scientific Research Corporation (ex D.S.I.R. See Scientific Research), other government departments, institutes and agencies, private enterprise and voluntary associations (e.g. Federated Farmers, Acclimatisation Societies, environmental and sporting groups). The findings of research so commissioned will be made. Public priority will be given to research in the following environment-related subjects:  - environmental law.  - land tenure and use.  - energy conservation.  - the theory and practical application of ecological principles in farming, horticulture and forestry, with particular emphasis on soil health, crop diversification, replacement of pesticides and recycling of wastes.  - wildlife and game resources.  - marine resources and aquaculture.  - prevention and correction of pollution by industry, transport and urban living.  - occupational health, with reference to noise levels, ventilation and light, toxic fumes and dust, hazardous chemicals and radiation, equipment guards and the structural safety of scaffolding, mine props etc.  5. ENVIRONMENTAL ZONING. As part of its Conservation Code, Social Credit will adopt a system of environmental zoning for the land and its territorial waters. Town planning was adopted because of the conflicting interests of homeowners, business and industry. Social Credit believes that a more permanent form of environmental zoning will protect wildlife, native forests, landscape and recreation against the ever-increasing demands of commercial interest. Environmental zoning will establish multiple land use according to a system of fixed priorities as follows:  (a) WILDERNESS ZONE. The wilderness zone will include as wide a range of land and marine ecosystems as possible. Priority will be given to the preservation of native plants and animals, natural topography and catchment. Mining, logging, exotic plantation, road construction, hunting (except for noxious animal control by Nature Conservancy, See 7b), fishing, burning-off, construction (e.g. dams, hotels, ski runs) will be banned. Entry will be allowed for passive recreation such as bird watching, tramping, climbing, photography. The withdrawal of any part of the wilderness zone will be subject to five years public notice, right of appeal to the courts and the concurrent replacement of the area lost by another of equal size and similar environmental value. Compensation for loss of logging rights will be paid to private owners whose native forests are included in wilderness zoning. The owners will be given the option of selling such land to the Crown (See Forestry 2).  (b) RESERVE AND PARK ZONE. Priority will be given to recreation such as hunting (deer, pig, coursing hound), shooting (duck, pigeon, target), fishing, riding, camping, boating, games. The construction of minor roads, tracks, boat, ramps, marinas, hotels, motels, huts, halls, swimming pools, controlled ski runs, playing fields etc. will be a normal feature.  (c) OPEN COUNTRY ZONE. This will allow for pollution control and public access in the form of rights-of-way, foreshore, green belts and riparian strips. It will include multiple-use forest parks where timber production and recreation are given equal weight. Commercial development (e.g. bee-keeping, deer hunting, flax cutting) may proceed under licence. Priority will be the public interest.  (d) NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE. Normal uses will be farming, clearfell and other closed forestry, mining, power production, commercial fishing, urban development and the construction of ports, airports, roads and railways. Priority will be given to commercial interests and either private ownership of land or restricted use of Crown assets.  6. SOIL AND WATER.  (a) WATER QUALITY AND FLOOD CONTROL. Legislation will be amended so that the final authority for soil and water conservation, land use, control of waterways, the delivery of water for all purposes and the conservation of land and marine life will rest with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. A training programme, which includes overseas experience, will be introduced to improve the professional skill of officers employed in soil and water conservation. Social Credit will speed up the work of catchment authorities in reducing pollution. Where agricultural and industrial activity adjacent to lakes and rivers contributes seriously to their pollution and eutrophication, such unsuitable land use will be modified by appropriate means or phased out (with adequate compensation) over a maximum twenty-year period. Government funds will be made available to catchment authorities on a regular and consistent basis, so that properly programmed work on flood control, water quality and soil conservation may be undertaken and maintained. Each Regional Water Board will have one member appointed by them to represent local conservation and sporting interests e.g. Protection Societies, Tramping Clubs.  (b) ORGANIC MANURES. Social Credit will initiate a policy requiring all agricultural, industrial and municipal wastes to be recycled by reprocessing them into by-products, converting them to fertilisers or controlling their return to the environment in non-toxic, biodegradable forms. Subsidies will be introduced to encourage greater use of organic manures as a replacement for, or supplement to, chemical fertilisers.  (c) PESTICIDES. New Zealand cannot afford the loss of land to noxious weeds, but mechanical and biological control will be preferred to chemical spraying. Mechanical harvesting and reprocessing to energy, compost and fodder will be favoured for the control of lakeweed. Social Credit will undertake an urgent programme aimed at using pesticides more carefully, replacing them with alternative methods of controls as quickly as possible, and ultimately phasing them out.  7. FOREST AND BUSH.  (a) LOGGING. A permanent ban on all logging will come into immediate effect in the virgin forests of Puketi, Whirinaki, Waikaremoana, Pureora, Waihaha, Maruia, Paparoa, Ohinetamatea, Ohinemaka and Paringa, which will be zoned 'wilderness' (See 5a). Where necessary, buffer protection stands will be established adjoining them. A ten-year moratorium on logging will be imposed in South Okarito and Waikukupa forests, to be succeeded by 'wilderness' zoning if ample jobs have been secured in all West Coast communities in the interim.  (b) NOXIOUS ANIMALS. Except in critical wilderness zones, the policy on noxious animals will be one of control, rather than extermination. Social Credit favours hunting and fishing for sport both by residents and visitors. Where the environmental zoning gives priority to recreational hunting and fishing, assistance with access and accommodation will be forthcoming. Social Credit is sympathetic to the orderly development of hunting, with a view to exporting opossum skins, velvet, venison etc., as an economic method of controlling noxious animals.  (c) SMALL NATIVE BUSH RESERVES. A Social Credit Government will purchase small native bush reserves. Areas of up to 20 ha may be vested in local voluntary societies for the protection and enhancement of native species.  (d) PRIVATE RESERVATIONS. When owners consider that portions of their land have 'amenity value' (e.g. as 'open space' in urban or 'pleasing landscape' in rural areas) they may apply to their local authority for 'private reservation' designation. If the local authority approves the application (i) the owner will be bound to fence the area and preserve its amenity value, (ii) the Ministry of Works and Development will pay for fencing at a standard rate/metre for materials and labour, but will make no allowance for terrain, (iii) the local authority will defer all rates on that portion of the property so long as the private reservation zoning persists. If the reservation zoning is lifted at a later date, the developer will be liable for the immediate payment of all deferred rates.  8. LAND.  (a) OVERSEAS OWNERSHIP. Social Credit will not allow the sale of Crown or public land to overseas interests. No overseas individual, company or interest will be permitted to acquire New Zealand land by purchase, lease, trust, shareholding or any other means, except under the following conditions:  - The purchase is approved by both the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and the local body concerned.  - A development plan covering at least twenty years' work following purchase is submitted and approved by Minister and local body.  - The Minister is satisfied that the purchase and development proposed are non-speculative and in the interests of New Zealand.  - The Crown has the right to acquire the land at valuation should the development plan not proceed.  (b) PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO CITIES. In order to use land to the best advantage, properties adjacent to major cities and boroughs, when offered for sale or subdivision, will be purchased by the Crown at a negotiated price. Following classification of the land, titles will be issued with sufficient protection to ensure the best possible usage. The land must be offered for resale on the open market within one year of the purchase date. Monies received over and above the negotiated price will be paid to the original seller.  (c) ENDOWMENT LAND. As local bodies will no longer be dependent on revenue from endowment land under a Social Credit economy, these areas, subject to their being classified as farmland, will be brought within the scope of the Land Act 1948 to give the lessees the right of freehold.  (d) CROWN LEASEHOLD. The Land Act 1948 will be amended to ensure that rentals on all Crown leaseholds will be fixed, with due regard to the productive capacity of the unit concerned, and the lessee will be given just value for his improvements. The purchase of Crown leasehold on deferred payment licence without deposit will be introduced.  (e) RATING. The present method of assessing local body rates on property valuation will be phased out and replaced by a system based on land classification in the case of rural land and, in the case of urban property, zoning in accordance with the approved town plan.  9. THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.  (a) A PLEASING ENVIRONMENT. To improve the city environment, we will encourage:  - grass and tree strips, to separate highways from residential zones.  - pedestrian malls and inner city rest areas.  - greater emphasis on public transport, which should be free in the inner city.  - smokeless zones.  (b) COMMUNITIES FOR PEOPLE. Social Credit will encourage new developments and redevelopment of suburban communities of medium population density and small size, surrounded by open space and linked to each other and industrial suburbs by a fast electric rail service. These energy-efficient communities, built for people not cars, will lessen dependence on motor vehicles.  (c) VEHICLE POLLUTION. All vehicles subject to warrant of fitness tests will be required to meet approved noise and exhaust emission standards.  (d) LITTER. Litter will be controlled by a levy on manufacturers who do not provide for the recycling of non-biodegradable wastes. A refundable deposit, ad least ten cents in the case of beer bottles, will be imposed on all beverage containers. Repurchase of containers by retailer and manufacturer will be mandatory.  (e) HOARDINGS. Large roadside hoardings will be banned.  10. MINERALS AND MINING. Minerals are a part of New Zealand's basic wealth, the ownership of which will be secured to the Crown. In all cases of mineral exploitation royalties will be paid to the Crown.  (a) MINERALS CORPORATION. Social Credit will establish a government-funded Minerals Corporation. The Corporation, on its own account or by contracting private enterprise, will carry out the work of exploration, delineation and assay. Development of proven opportunities will be done by public mining companies, structured by agreement with the Corporation.  (b) DOMESTIC USE OF RESOURCES. Since mineral wealth is not renewable, it must be used slowly and carefully in New Zealand's own industry. Although the export of minerals in the raw state may appear attractive from time to time, Social Credit will continue to press the advantages of retaining them for our own use as and when we require them.  (c) MINING LICENCES. Social Credit will establish a Mining Court, in conjunction with the Planning Tribunal, to deal with applications for licences to prospect or mine. Applications will be heard in the district to which they relate. A licence to prospect will not automatically confer the right to mine but, when applications to mine are subsequently lodged and heard, the holder of a current prospecting licence will have priority over other applicants. Unless it can be proved to be of advantage to New Zealand, mining rights will not be let to foreign interests. The Mining Act will be subordinate to the Conservation Code. It will be the duty of the Mining Court, when granting or withholding rights to mine:  - to keep the wilderness zone inviolate.  - to assess the advantages and disadvantages of overriding normal priorities in reserve and open country zones.  - to evaluate the relative benefits to the nation which will be derived from mining or continued yield from high quality farmland. As a condition of the licence, mining companies will be required to rehabilitate land during and after mining, so that standards of safety, restoration of soil and vegetation and visual quality of the landscape, set by the Mining Court in accordance with the Conservation Code, are met. When natural gas, petroleum or geothermal steam are removed from substrata, they must be replaced with water or other suitable materials.  11. INTERNATIONAL POLLUTION. Social Credit will campaign vigorously for the adoption of international agreements to reduce worldwide oceanic and atmospheric pollution. We will press for international agreement to:  - outlaw the dumping of radioactive waste on the seabed.  - store all radioactive waste in monitored, recoverable, terrestrial sites.  - implement standards and procedures which will lessen the possibility of reactor accidents, sabotage and theft of weapons-grade material.  All nations inhabit the one earth. Nuclear pollution is too dangerous and long lasting to take the kind of economic short cuts which have rendered other industrial processes damaging to human health. Both pro- and anti-nuclear factions urge that international safety regulations be adopted. Social Credit commends those nations whose social concern leads them to pursue research into non-polluting, nuclear-fusion power production.  12. WAILING (See Marine 15).  Finance. Social Credit will introduce financial reforms which will restore to the people the ownership of their own money system.  1. OWNERSHIP OF CREDIT. We will restore to the people the ownership of their own credit so that they will be the ultimate and major beneficiaries of its use.  2. NEW ZEALAND CREDIT AUTHORITY (N.Z.C.A.). As the monetary arm of government, the N.Z.C.A. will be the only institution which has the power to create, issue and cancel New Zealand money. The N.Z.C.A. will accept authority from and be answerable to the New Zealand Parliament.  (a) CONSTITUTION OF N.Z.C.A.  - Parliament shall appoint the chairman.  - Parliament shall appoint economists.  - The following sectors shall make appointments for three-year terms: trade unions, business, farming, consumer groups.  (b) FUNCTIONS.  - Limits of Credit Creation. It will determine the limits of the total volume of credit creation, such limits to be related to the value of the nation's total production of goods and services.  - New Zealand Balance Sheet. It will be charged with the duty of preparing proper statements of the national accounts, including a national Balance Sheet showing the yearly money supply and its disposition, with the flow of funds necessary to monitor the true financial position of the country. These accounts will be presented in conformity with modern accounting practice and will be tabled before parliament annually.  - Incomes and Consumer Goods. The N.Z.C.A. will ensure that the income of the people equates with the value of goods and services available for consumption.  - Survey. It will determine the extent to which the actual nation's production falls short of or exceeds desirable possible production.  - Overseas Exchange.  - The N.Z.C.A. will have overall jurisdiction in the purchase and sale of overseas exchange.  - The N.Z.C.A. will buy overseas exchange earned, at a price in New Zealand dollars, to give security and a fair income to farmers and other exporters.  - In order to conserve overseas exchange the cost of buying it for the importation of luxury items and/or money for overseas travel, will be increased in times of shortage.  - Protection will be provided against increased prices from the increased cost of imports. The cost of buying' exchange for purchasing essential raw materials and capital equipment will be decreased, to offset increases in overseas prices.  3. GOVERNMENT FINANCE.  (a) N.Z.C.A. Money required for government purposes within New Zealand, over and above that received from revenue, will be provided by the N.Z.C.A. interest-free and, where circumstances warrant, debt-free.  (b) RESERVE BANK. The Reserve Bank will accept management responsibility for social investment on:  - loans to local bodies.  - loans to industry, to allow non-inflationary investment in the social capital required to improve working conditions.  The Reserve Bank will ensure that this investment is maintained at a level which will not initiate demand inflation or result in a lack of effective demand. One measure to ensure this will be to regulate the demand for loans by varying their repayment in accord with government policy.  4. LOCAL BODY FINANCE. The Reserve Bank will provide loans free of interest, with an administrative charge only, for approved local body projects. Priorities will be determined by the Local Authorities' Loans Board. In certain circumstances debt-free grants may be issued.  5. NATIONAL DEBT.  (a) INTERNAL. A Social Credit Government will progressively redeem the internal debt. Any borrowing will be restricted to capital purposes only.  (b) OVERSEAS. External debt will be repaid as circumstances permit. A Social Credit Government will not borrow from the I.M.F. It will legislate for full autonomy of action to implement any or all of its policies, and will not accept economic or monetary direction on internal matters. Nor will a Social Credit Government enter into any contract or agreement with any foreign or international body which entails forfeiture of New Zealand's full internal autonomy.  6. BANKING AND INVESTMENTS.  a. TRADING BANKS.  - Normal business relations between the trading banks and their customers will remain.  - The trading banks will be licensed as agents of the N.Z.C.A.  - The trading banks will loan to their customers only that money made available to them by the N.Z.C.A.  - The trading banks will be advanced sufficient money from the N.Z.C.A., at a service charge only, to meet the requirements for working finance of business and individuals.  - The operative reserve and asset ratio controls over the trading banks will be abolished.  - The trading banks will be individually advanced money by the N.Z.C.A. in proportion to the demands deposits held by each on customers' accounts.  - Subject to government approval, the trading banks will be entitled to charge reasonable service fees to customers for cheque and accountancy services rendered.  (b) BUILDING SOCIETIES. Savings institutions, such as Building Societies, will be encouraged to invest in private industry. The present directives insisting that a percentage of loan money be channelled into government stock will be revoked.  (c) STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES. Existing state trading enterprises will be converted to corporations.  (d) CREDIT UNIONS. A Social Credit Government will give every encouragement to the New Zealand Credit Union movement and similar co-operative savings groups.  (e) DEVELOPMENT BANKS. Trustee Banks will be changed into Regional Development Banks. Greatest possible autonomy will be given each Regional Development Bank in providing investment capital in its area of jurisdiction. Savings lodged will be government guaranteed. Trustees will be elected by the depositors. The relationship between the Post Office Savings Banks and the Development Finance Corporation and Rural Bank, will be rationalised.  (f) INFLATION-PROOFING OF SAVINGS. P.O.S.B. and Development Bank savings will be guaranteed against inflation, provided they are placed on term deposit.  (g) INTEREST CHARGES. All lending institutions will be limited to fixed maximum interest rates, to be determined by Acts of Parliament or by regulation.  7. HIRE PURCHASE.  (a) The hire purchase regulations will be overhauled to place interest rates on a day-to-day basis.  (b) Industrial hire purchase will be abolished.  8. STABILISATION. We will stabilise the price of living and ensure that the benefits accruing to the nation from the implementation of a Social Credit economy are safeguarded.  (a) COMPENSATING PRICES. We will establish compensating prices as subsidies on essential commodities.  (b) PRICE CONTROL. The objective of a Social Credit Government will be to remove controls by regulation, but the need to ensure that prices do not escalate is recognised. Price control will, therefore, continue until the monetary reform measures can be implemented.  (c) WAGE ORDERS. A minimum living wage will be established. Whilst bringing inflation under control, wage orders will be expressed in either money terms or as a percentage of present incomes.  9. MONOPOLIES AND TAKEOVERS.  (a) In the interest of consumers, adequate legislation will be introduced to govern business monopolies and takeovers.  (b) If it is shown that the aggregation of resources is necessary, Social Credit will convert this type of monopoly into a co-operative.  (c) Those companies which cannot be fragmented will be subject to price control.  (d) Corporate structures will be required to display publicly a diagram of the company’s structure and relationship with associate or owned subsidiaries.  10. TAX REFORM.  (a) LIMIT ON TAXATION. A Social Credit Government will legislate to place a strict limit on the percentage of national income the treasury can collect in taxation.  (b) INCOME TAX. There will be a first stage of non-taxable income tied to the level of the basic social welfare benefits. All income above this level will be taxed at a standard, or flat, rate. An expenditure tax will be payable on unsaved income above a level fixed at 1.5 times the average wage. Savings that qualify for exemption from expenditure tax will be defined from time to time. The cost of travel to and from work will be charged against taxable income. The maximum amount will be not more than required costs of travel by public transport up to a realistic maximum.  (c) HOUSING MAINTENANCE. A Social Credit Government will allow the individual taxpayer to charge the cost of interest charges, rates and maintenance of his or her home (in which his or her family lives) against taxable income, up to a figure to be announced.  (d) CAR TAX. The tax conditions on cars brought back to New Zealand by New Zealanders who have been living overseas will be reinstated to the pre-1979 budget position.  (e) PETROL TAX. Sufficient of the present petrol tax will be transferred from the Consolidated Fund to the National Roads Board to promote a progressive programme, the balance being devoted to the development of alternative fuels  (f) BOAT AND CARAVAN TAX. The sales tax on boats and caravans will be removed.  (g) RACING CLUBS. Racing clubs will be taxed on a graduated tax scale  (h) DEATH DUTIES. Social Credit believes that farms and small family businesses must be able to be passed on to immediate members of the family without undue hardship. Death duties will be abolished to the level which fully protects the family home, farm and/or business. Death duties at the top end of the scale will be such as to encourage the fragmentation of undue land and property aggregation.  11. COMPANY TAXATION. A revision of company taxation will be undertaken to ensure greater equity and increased incentive.  a. WORKER SHAREHOLDING SCHEMES. In all cases where any trading organisation is operating an approved worker shareholding scheme for Industrial Councils, and Industrial Trusts, such a trading organisation will be designated as a co-operative and not liable for any taxation at the company level. In all cases tax will be paid once only, in the hands of the individual shareholder.  b. CO-OPERATIVES. Co-operative company tax will be reviewed to ensure that tax is paid on all profits except those distributed to shareholders on a turnover basis by way of dividend, rebate or increased shareholding.  c. DIVIDENDS. Company tax will be paid', once only when dividends are transmitted to another company.  d. EXPORT INCENTIVE SCHEMES. Export incentive schemes involving rebates of company tax will be progressively abolished. Compensation will be achieved by the payment of an adequate amount in terms of New Zealand dollars for overseas exchange earned. We oppose present indirect taxpayer subsidy to big business.  12. EXPORT CREDIT ACCOUNT. The N.Z.C.A. will establish an Export Credit Account for those nations wishing to reciprocate on a bilateral basis. Credit exchanged will equate with the value of goods to which any reciprocal trading arrangement applies. The Account will balance and credit exchanged with willing nations will be provided upon consultation and in conjunction with, producer organisations represented on a Board of Trade.  13. INTERNATIONAL CLEARING HOUSE. To facilitate multilateral trade a Social Credit Government will initiate negotiations with governments of other countries involved with bilateral credit exchange agreements, to establish an International Clearing House for each country's trade credits.  14. DIVIDEND. As the silicon-chip and microtechnological age advances, with automation replacing people, a Social Credit Government will introduce a national dividend for all citizens.  FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Social Credit's foreign policy is built on the principle of sovereign independence of action in international relations. A Social Credit Government will introduce a joint Foreign Affairs and Defence policy by pursuing an over-riding objective of humanitarianism and of peace in the world community. A bilateral trading policy with nations of the Pacific Basin will provide the cornerstone of a new New Zealand international approach.  1. RE-STYLED FOREIGN MINISTRY. Social Credit will aim at international co-operation by:  - establishing diplomatic relations with any country irrespective of political system or belief.  - promoting by all means possible greater international knowledge and awareness of New Zealand.  - re-examining economic, trading and military agreements in the light of independent diplomacy.  - promoting trading ties with underdeveloped countries on the basis that all people have the right to share in the wealth of the world without being used as instruments for financial and political gain.  2. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND ORGANISATIONS.  a. We are opposed to such mandatory international agreements as Bretton Woods and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, where they are against the interests of New Zealand. We will trade with other nations wishing to trade with us on a reciprocal, bilateral and mutual credit exchange basis.  b. The repayment of all outstanding loans due to the 1.M.F. will be a top priority.  3. UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION.  a) We will support the U.N.0. in its efforts to preserve peace and harmony, and will co-operate with all nations in this endeavour.  b) We will support the specialised agencies of the U.N.0. in so far as they work for true freedom, peace and economic security for peoples and nations. New Zealand support for the humanitarian agencies, in particular, will be progressively stepped-up, both in terms of personnel and finance.  c) New Zealand will make far more outspoken use of the U.N.0. as a forum on matters of great global importance, e.g. trading, environmental, racial and moral issues.  d) The New Zealand Armed Services will contribute a permanent unit to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. Each commitment of the New Zealand Peacekeeping Unit to world duties will be subject to parliamentary approval.  4. INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION. A Social Credit Government will adopt an active role in international mediation, particularly in offering our country as a global venue for such discussions.  5. GLENEAGLES AGREEMENT. A Social Credit Government will support the Gleneagles Agreement.  6. NUCLEAR ARMAMENTS-FREE ZONES  (a) We will give vigorous support, through the U.N.0. and via our own independent diplomatic initiatives, to the introduction of world nuclear armaments-free zones.  (b) We will place top priority on supporting the establishment of a nuclear armaments-free zone in the South Pacific.  7. PACIFIC AREA. Although our external efforts will be directed primarily towards the people of the South Pacific, a Social Credit Government will expand economic and cultural co-operation and communication with the nations of the Pacific Basin as a whole, and with South-East Asia. We will co-operate with these nations towards their attaining social and economic self-determination. To further these ends we will  - promote trade, using a system of reciprocal credits.  - reduce restrictions and tariffs on imports from these countries as the state of the economy allows.  - provide assistance in educational programmes.  - ensure that New Zealand has its own diplomatic representation in these countries.  - provide financial assistance and encouragement of local industry to create job opportunities in areas previously New Zealand dependencies.  8. EDUCATION.  (a) A Chair of Peace Studies will be established and funded by Government at a selected New Zealand university.  (b) A curriculum in Peace Studies will be commissioned and introduced into New Zealand school.  9. CROWN AND COMMONWEALTH.  (a) A Social Credit Government will affirm our allegiance to the British Crown as head of state in New Zealand.  (b) Social Credit will affirm our loyalty to the Commonwealth; but will actively seek ways of enlivening it as a free association of nations on trading, financial, environmental, racial, moral and other political questions.  10. GLOBAL OPTIONS. Social Credit will commission a special White Paper on the range of global options open to New Zealand. We will allow for and encourage the fullest public participation in this exercise, hoping for contributions from the churches, political parties, universities, youth at large and citizens. Recommendations arising from the White Paper will be given equal consideration with official advice. Pending the outcome of the White Paper we will maintain our commitment to the ANZUS alliance.  FORESTRY. Social Credit recognises the importance of forests and trees to the community in a wide variety of ways: timber, recreation, protection of animals, shelter, control of erosion and pollution. Social Credit recognises that New Zealand's forests have a wider significance to the community than merely a crop to be harvested. As a basis for forest policy we acknowledge the following:  a) Watershed protection forest, mature low-land forest and strategically placed bush and shelter belts all contribute to the favourable climate and water relationships so vital to New Zealand's agricultural and pastoral industries.  b) Clearance or disturbance of forest on steep high country or the banks of inland waterways may lead to soil erosion, slips, scouring, flooding and the pollution of freshwater and estuary fisheries.  c) Forests re-oxygenate the air.  d) Forest is the habitat of rare and increasingly endangered wildlife and plant species, which are priceless assets to this country.  e) Production forests should be managed for the benefit of future as well as present generations. The possibility of a world timber shortage is no longer remote.  f) The potential market for New Zealand's forest products is tremendous. We need to plant larger areas and manage them for sustained yield.  g) Whenever timber is removed from the forest, the whole tree should be used.  h) Forest provides a rural way of life complementary to farming. Effective regional development depends on creating more employment opportunities in country districts.  i) Forest is needed for recreation and its outstanding beauty attracts tourists to our country.  j) Native flowering shrubland is an important component in the honey industry. Social Credit's policy for forest production includes correct land use, crop diversification, management for high and sustained yields, the most modern refinements to technique, complete utilisation, research, careful planning and aggressive marketing.  1. NATURE CONSERVANCY  The N.Z. Forest Service will be subject to the Conservation Code. It will work with regional units of the Nature Conservancy to instigate research into local land use and forestry problems. (See Environment and Natural Resources 1-7).  2. N.Z. NATIVE FORESTS.  a) VIRGIN FOREST PROTECTION. All that remains of the North Island virgin forests (Puketi, Whirinaki, Waikaremoana, Pureora, Waihaha) and substantial tracts of South Island virgin forest (Maruia, Paparoa, Ohinetamatea, Ohinemaka, Paringa) will be zoned 'wilderness' and 'reserve' (See Environment and Natural Resources 5) and a permanent ban on all logging will come into immediate effect. A ten-year moratorium on logging in South Okarito and Waikukupa forests will be imposed. This will be succeeded by wilderness and reserve zoning if, in the interim, Social Credit regional development plans for primary and secondary industries based on sustained yield native and exotic forestry, farming, fishing, coal-mining and tourism have secured ample employment in all West Coast communities. Wilderness zoning will include forest stands representative of highland to coastal ecosystems.  b) MANAGED AND REGENERATING NATIVE FOREST. Virgin forest, other than that specified above, and cutover and regenerating native forest will be evaluated by regional units of the Nature Conservancy which will decide:  - which shall be added to the wilderness zone and left to regenerate naturally.  - which shall be managed, with or without replanting, for native species regeneration, zoned reserve or open country (See Environment and Natural Resources 5) and used for the purposes appropriate to these zones.  - which shall be replanted with native or exotic species primarily for timber production.  The Forest Service will manage state forests in accordance with environmental zoning. Privately owned native forest may be zoned wilderness or subjected to logging quotas consistent with sustained yield. Where privately owned native forest is zoned for wilderness, the owner will either be compensated for the loss of revenue or entitled to sell the land to the crown (See Environment and Natural Resources 7).  3. PRODUCTION FOREST. A Social Credit Government will do everything in its power to reinforce trends in forest management which are consistent with:  a) diversification of timber crops in accordance with the findings of market research.  b) establishment of farm forestry where this is the better use of land marginally economic as pasture.  c) use of forest and trees for intermediate as well as timber production (e.g. crops such as latex, maple sugar, nuts, when these are shown to be economic).  d) multiple use of forest as it relates to recreation and hunting (See Environment and Natural Resources 5 (c) & 7).  e) shelter belts and other strategic placement of trees to cut pollution of waterways and exposure of farms and towns to adverse weather (See Environment and Natural Resources 2, 6 & 9).  f) correct land use with respect to soil and water conservation (See Environment and Natural Resources 6).  g) ecological principles of soil and plant health as they relate to the use of organic manures and microbiological enrichment of soils (See Environment and Natural Resources 4 & 6).  h) protection of benevolent fauna and caution in the use of pesticides (See Environment and Natural Resources 1, 4 & 6).  i) conservation of energy (See Energy preamble and 12).  4. FOREST ENCOURAGEMENT  - Private individuals and co-operatives will be allowed to deduct the cost of forest plantation development for income tax purposes.  - Income from farm forestry will be averaged over a five-year period for taxation purposes and Section 81 of the Income Tax Act, 1976, will be amended accordingly.  5. EXPANSION OF FORESTRY. To meet the need for energy self-sufficiency (See Energy preamble and 10) and a growing demand for timber and related products at home and for export, a Social Credit Government will increase the area of land under forest and will manage production forest for the highest possible yields consistent with its Conservation Code (See Environment and Natural Resources preamble, 1 and 2).  To the extent that Social Credit policy relates to Crown Land, it can be initiated without delay. The biggest problem will be to persuade private owners to allow their land to be used for forestry. Social Credit will offer alternatives as follows:  (a) FOREST SERVICE RENTAL LANDS  There will be no compulsory acquisition of land but tracts of land suitable for forestry will be leased from private owners. The capital cost (fencing, planting etc.), labour and risks for the venture will all devolve upon the Forest Service. The land owner(s) may apply for continuance of access, grazing, hunting, fishing and camping rights. Rents paid will reflect the degree of usage rights retained by the owner(s). Owners will also be consulted about the management of their land (See 6).  (b) CO-OPERATIVE FORESTRY VENTURES  Nurserymen, farmers, private companies, Maori trusts and local and ad hoc bodies will be invited to submit proposals, each of which will be treated on its merits. Where the proposals are approved, long-term loans at nominal rates of interest will be made available.  6. LOCAL BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT. Social Credit will establish local Boards of Forest Management. Limited speaking, not voting, rights will be extended to land owners of Forest Service rental lands (See 5 (a) ). Voting Board members will be representatives from the Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy, and those contributing land, plant or finance to co-operative forestry ventures. The Boards will administer multiple land use, finance for state and co-operative forestry, the diverse programme of timber production from nursery to plantation to logging, local secondary industry and marketing and the flow of public and privately contracted plant and labour to service all local forestry needs.  7. WOOD UTILISATION. Wasteful and inappropriate use of timber will be eliminated. Litter and trimmings must be left on site for the health of the forest, but all material removed should be used to best advantage.  Forest Service and local Boards will be asked to plan for continuous supplies of panels:  (a) building timbers, boxing and wood-based.  (b) heavy timbers such as planks, sleepers and laminated beams.  (c) round wood for poles, piles and posts.  (d) timbers and veneers for furniture manufacture, decorative work and similar special purposes.  (e) pulp and paper.  (f) feedstocks for chemicals such as dyes, phenols, oils, wood proteins and sugars.  (g) fuels such as solid waste and chip for steam and electric power production in mills (See Energy 11), ethanol for motor transport (See Energy 10) and pyrolysates of wood for refining (See Energy 9).  8. EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. Market research and penetration of world markets by professional salesmen will be vigorously promoted to minimise risks to growers. A price structure and export programme will be set up and administered by the Board of Trade after consultations with Forest Service Boards of Management. Exotic logs will continue to be exported. As secondary industry increases in New Zealand, processed products will be exported in preference to the raw logs to the extent that such a policy is consistent with energy self-sufficiency and a sustainable growth rate for New Zealand (See Energy preamble). As crop diversification proceeds, a greater variety of timber will become available to cater for local special markets. We consider that, with very rare exceptions, New Zealand should not be dependent on timber imports.  9. TIMBER PRICE STRUCTURE.  - To see that the grower obtains a proper return for his labour we will establish floor prices for timber, publicly promulgated.  - To see that the buyer obtains value for money, we intend to assist the industry in every way to improve its practices.  - Because of the length of time needed for N.Z. native timber to mature and the rental value of the land set aside for native plantation and regeneration, the price of native timber must reflect the replacement cost of the species.  Health. Social Credit believes it is the right of every New Zealander to have a comprehensive and efficient health service available. A quality care, community-based service will be provided to all people without waste of funds. The main thrust of health care spending will be aimed at prevention of illness through education. Social Credit monetary and financial policies will ensure that health care programmes are no longer financed by a loan programme attracting high interest rates.  1. MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD. We will establish an independent advisory board to review the operational efficiency of the various aspects of the health services. The findings will be published, including recommendations for further developments.  2. REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES.  - Decentralisation is absolutely necessary if communities are to be served with the health care system which suits their particular needs. Three regional health authorities will be set up in the North Island and two in the South Island.  - Hospital Boards will retain their identity in the proposed regional groupings.  3. PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.  ALCOHOL. In addition to its contribution to violence, crime and family strife the treatment of alcohol abuse is a very costly drain on health, funds. The Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council will be further assisted in its programmes of education and research into the dangers of excess drinking. There will be a co-ordinated policy embracing all aspects of the problem, including:  - the preparation of effective educational material for use in schools and other areas.  - the development of alcohol-related programmes in industry.  - the implementation of further publicity emphasising the dangers on our roads caused by the drinking driver.  SMOKING. Like alcohol, the treatment of smoking ailments is also very costly. Overseas experience has repeatedly shown that anti-smoking campaigns have little effect on people already smoking, while the best results occur with young children.  - Smoking advertising will be restricted.  - Disease warnings on cigarette packets will be made more explicit and printed in large type.  - Education on the dangers of smoking will be intensified for primary and intermediate school children.  DRUGS. In order to cope with the growing problems of drug abuse, we shall introduce legislation along the following lines:  - A clear distinction will be made between soft and hard drugs, with severe penalties applying to the sale of the latter, particularly in the case of sale to minors.  - Social drugs (i.e. alcohol and tobacco) will carry clearly printed and conspicuous warnings of the possible health hazards involved in their use.  - Public education on the dangers of drug misuse will be extended.  - Provision will be made for the registration of drug addicts and drugs will be made available through clinics to registered addicts.  - Every encouragement and opportunity will be given to registered addicts to undergo medical and/or psychological treatment to combat their dependence.  - Provision will be made for the committal of drug addicts in a serious medical or mental condition, such patients to be treated at special clinics established for the purpose. Legislation along these lines will remove some of the anomalies in the present law relating to the use and abuse of drugs. It will go a long way towards eliminating peddlers of hard drugs, their black market prices and the increasing level of crime associated with both.  CHILD CARE.  - The use of protective car seats for young children will be made compulsory. Sales tax on these seats will be abolished.  - The Health Department service to schools will be supported, and permanent health clinics established where desirable.  ACCIDENTS. Programmes aimed at reducing accidents in the home, on the road, at work, and in sport will be intensified.  4. PUBLIC HOSPITALS.  - FUTURE FACILITIES. In future building programmes, more attention will be paid to out-patient facilities, with adequate consulting and operating rooms and a certain number of day recovery beds. This will result in a considerable saving of hospital beds.  - COMMUNITY HOSPITALS. Community hospitals will provide standard medical treatment within easy access to communities. The social advantages of small cottage hospitals will be investigated, catering for minor surgery, convalescent care, observation and emergency response.  - COTTAGE-TYPE MATERNITY HOSPITALS. Hospital Boards will be assisted in establishing such hospitals, where required, for normal deliveries.  5. GENERAL PRACTITIONERS.  MEDICAL FEE SUBSIDY. The general practitioner should usually be the first person consulted in the event of a health problem Because of economic hardship many people are delaying consulting their doctor or failing to seek help at all. The result is damage to health and a further strain on hospital services. To overcome this a Social Credit Government will upgrade the subsidy to a more realistic level, after consulting with the Medical Advisory Board. Patients referred to specialists will also be entitled to a similar subsidy.  ACCESS TO PUBLIC HOSPITALS. Hospital Boards will be encouraged to allow local practitioners who wish to look after their own patients in hospital to do so.  RURAL SERVICE.  - General practitioners working in isolated areas of sparsely-populated areas will be given a remoteness allowance, with provision of a reasonable amount of time away from the practice.  - Patients having to travel for alternative medical service when the local GP is absent, will be subsidised for mileage and other costs.  MEDICAL CENTRES. Social Credit favours the combination of local medical services within specially built Health Centres, to provide improved services.  6. CONTINUING EDUCATION. Funds will be available for refresher courses for hospital staff as at present. GP's and practice nurses will be encouraged to undergo refresher courses so that the latest developments in patient care will be available throughout the whole health service.  7. ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF MEDICAL CARE.  (a) People who choose physical rather than medical treatment should not be penalised financially.  (b) A Social Credit Government will recognise specialists in alternative forms of medicine, provided that they are registered with a recognised authority within each specialist field. They will then be eligible for social welfare benefit and accident compensation payments. It will be the duty of the independent Medical Advisory Board to determine which specialities should qualify under the above conditions.  (c) Maternity units will be encouraged to introduce the Leboyer birth-without-violence method.  8. RESEARCH.  (a) MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL. The independent Medical Research Council will be broadened and encouraged to develop programmes not only in health and medical research but also in the delivery of health care to the community.  (b) OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS. The Medical Research Council will foster programmes to examine all aspects of occupational health, with particular reference to noise levels, toxic gases, and other hazardous by-products of industrial processes.  (c) CURATIVE METHODS. Curative methods not requiring drug use will be researched and encouraged e.g. acupuncture, hypnotherapy, homeopathy.  (d) SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH. A Social Credit Government will establish a university-based Sociological Research Centre. It will be appropriately and adequately staffed by psychologists, sociologists and medical specialists, on both a permanent and consultative basis.  The Centre will conduct research into:  - Mental Health;  - Alcoholism.  - Drug Addiction.  - Contraception.  - Illegitimacy and Abortion.  - Homosexuality and Lesbianism.  - Crime and Violence.  The Centre will also recommend appropriate legislative reform and other remedies, and research recreation activities and facilities.  (e) ALCOHOL. The Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council will research the development of further basic facilities, including detoxification centres under the direction of Hospital Boards, for the assessment and treatment of persons with alcohol problems.  9. CARE FOR THE AGED. More community care cottages, staffed by a family living in, will be established. These will house small groups of elderly citizens who can no longer cope on their own, but do not need full-time nursing care. The building and administration of these cottages will be in the hands of local bodies who will receive low interest finance and grants for their establishment.  10. PRIVATE HOSPITALS  (a) An adequate, patient subsidy will be provided for each resident in a non-profit-making church or charitable home, to enable other than wealthy patients to be accommodated.  (b) Low interest finance will be provided to private hospitals for new buildings and improvements.  11. MEDICAL TRAINING.  (a) The Medical Advisory Board will review the qualifications for entry to medical schools so that more emphasis is placed on the temperament and psychological attributes of applicants as well as on academic qualifications.  (b) The Board will also review the medical training curriculum, at both medical schools, in consultation with the university staff and student groups involved. A review will also be undertaken of the work conditions of junior medical staff in hospitals.  12. AMBULANCE SERVICE  An ambulance service, standardised and co-ordinated by Government, will promote the following:  (a) a career structure throughout the country.  (b) standardisation of vehicle design and equipment.  (c) standardisation of staff training.  (d) formation of regions e.g. 3 regions in North Island, 2 in the South.  13. MENTAL HEALTH.  (a) LEGAL REFORM. The need for legal reform to protect patients' rights, will be investigated, under the following categories:  - certification procedure.  - patients' property rights and civil rights.  - review of patients' conditions.  - administration of mental hospitals.  (b) HOSPITALS. A policy of gradually phasing out psychiatric hospitals will be implemented, with units provided at General Hospitals for those who cannot be treated and accommodated in community-based homes or in their own homes. Some separate psychiatric units will still be required for certain types of patient.  (c) EXTRAMURAL SERVICE. The extramural service will be expanded for the treatment of psychiatric patients with the aim of rehabilitation and support in ordinary society. Cases requiring residential care would receive it in community-based homes. To discourage too early admission to institutions, particularly for children, a Social Credit Government will:  - increase the child allowance to parents of intellectually and physically handicapped children.  - establish a register of suitable foster homes, with realistic payments to foster parents.  - encourage this community service to be administered with as much local autonomy as possible.  - provide special training schemes for all associated with the community-based psychiatric service.  14. VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS. Social Credit recognises the value of voluntary organisations such as the Plunket Society, the Crippled Children's Society, Mental Health Foundation, Alcoholics Associations, Health Camps and the like, and will therefore ensure sufficient finance is made available for them to function efficiently. These are most valuable as liaison points between patients and the profession.  15. REHABILITATION CENTRES. Favourable consideration will be given to establishing rehabilitation centres where desirable and practicable in hospitals.  16. NO COMPULSORY MEDICATION. We oppose compulsory medication, except during an emergency, on the grounds that it is contrary to the fundamental principles of democracy.  17. SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE. We will reassess Government's decision to close two dental nurse training schools.  HOUSING. Everyone has the right to acquire his own home, without financial hardship. Social Credit aims for a society in which ownership of the nation's capital resources is spread among as, many New Zealanders as possible. Home ownership is probably the most fundamental property right to which a person can lay claim. For most, it is also the first and largest capital investment undertaken, and is the one most closely linked to the individual's and family's livelihood. Social Credit believes all persons have the right to acquire their own homes without financial hardship, and therefore sees access to housing finance at reasonable rates of interest as a major priority among competing demands for investment funds. The time of greatest need, bringing up a family, often coincides with reduced ability to find the necessary finance. Provision of finance, therefore, will be geared towards assisting young families into homes of their own from the earliest opportunity.  1. TOWN PLANNING.  (a) MULTI-USE BUILDINGS. Town planning legislation will be amended to to place greater emphasis on multi-use functions in the urban environment.  (b) SOCIAL VALUES. The town planning profession will be encouraged to continue placing greater emphasis in professional qualifications on social and community values.  (c) USER RESEARCH. Local bodies, town planners, and the Housing Corporation will be encouraged to undertake continuous user research in new building developments. No new housing development should proceed until a proper community social development plan is approved.  2. URBAN DEVELOPMENT.  (a) INNER CITY RESIDENCES. Inner city areas should have greater provision for residential accommodation, but higher density urban development makes protection of privacy a greater consideration in design. Accordingly, Social Credit will make greater provision for inclusion of fees for architects and other specialist services in setting conditions for loans.  (b) DEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING HOUSES. Housing absorbs a substantial portion of the resources of the nation, so a policy aimed at adequate housing for all must, where possible, use existing housing stock and maximise the utilisation of existing community services. This may include the raising of some houses to construct flats underneath. Development and renovation of existing houses will be placed on an equal footing with new house construction in setting criteria for loan assistance.  (c) ENERGY CONSERVATION. For both redevelopment and new construction, full provision should be made for the installation of environment and energy-conserving appliances.  (d) LAND DEVELOPMENT. Social Credit is concerned at the speculative profits being made out of the development of land adjacent to major urban areas. Provision will be made for such areas to be subdivided by the local council, with sections sold to the general public or private developers, without discrimination. A service levy will be charged on each section to allow the local body to provide services.  3. FINANCE. Adequacy of housing for all is sufficiently important a national goal that greater assistance for the homebuyer is required until the economy is brought under control. Accordingly, the concept of home ownership accounts will be extended to include the following:  (a) HOME OWNERSHIP ACCOUNTS.  - Inflation-proofing.  - Money deposited in such accounts will be exempt from income tax if used for home purchase.  - A deposit maximum related to current housing costs.  (b) FIRST HOME BUYERS. Housing Corporation loans will be available to first home buyers as follows:  - All families, and in appropriate cases individuals will be eligible.  - The interest rate will be progressively reduced to no more than 3%.  - Loan limits will reflect average costs for a dwelling appropriate to the applicant's needs, and the ability to meet loan charges. Repayment rates will vary according to the circumstances of different applicants.  4. BUILDING INDUSTRY.  (a) New Zealand's housing and economic problems have been compounded by the use of the building industry as an economic tool by successive governments. Social Credit, however, believes that a thriving and stable housing industry is of sufficient social importance as to require that it be insulated (as far as possible) from economic fluctuations, a requirement that is aided by the availability within New Zealand of most essential building materials.  (b) Steady long-term policies will be applied to enable the building industry to plan confidently for its continuing role in the development and expansion of New Zealand's communities, and as an employer of a skilled workforce.  (c) A Social Credit Government will support continual updating of N.Z. Standards (Codes of Practice) that provide means of compliance with NZSS 1900 (Model Building By-laws) to maintain utmost efficiency through innovations and economies consistent with adequate structural performance.  (d) The building costs of New Zealand dwellings are among the highest in the world. Social Credit's endeavours will be directed towards reducing these as much as possible, and to reducing the wastage of valuable resources in their construction.  5. CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING.  (a) URBAN. Co-operative housing will be encouraged by providing research funds to suitably organised groups and societies, and assisting them in the purchase of land. Loans at low interest will be made available to develop a complex of low-rise apartments in inner suburb areas.  (b) RURAL. For housing on rural land, financed and built by co-operatives or individual owners, the possibility of allowing some relaxation of structural requirements, as is now the case with other farm buildings, will be carefully considered, with a view to encouraging and assisting self-supporting rural communities.  6. RENTAL ACCOMMODATION.  (a) While the main thrust of housing policy must be aimed at enabling people to purchase their own 'homes, it is recognised that in certain cases public authorities may have a role in providing rental accommodation. This will particularly apply in the transitional period while the full housing policy is being implemented.  (b) New state house tenancies will be granted as assistance to those in greatest need, mainly as short-term, emergency and transient accommodation, and not on a long-term basis. Where tenancies of a longer term are justified, these would more properly be ad-ministered at local government level.  (c) Social Credit does not see the role of the state as extending to that of landlord, and will progressively sell the older state houses to existing tenants. Such a policy will ensure that the stock of state houses remains of a contemporary nature.  (d) A person who occupies or rents a house provided as part of the conditions of employment will be able to apply to the Housing Corporation for a low-interest loan to provide a home, -which may be in another area, for retirement. The owner may rent out his house until it is required. Safeguards to prevent property speculation will be applied.  7. RATES, COSTS AND PROPERTY TRANSFERS  - NEW RATING. In urban areas, Social Credit will replace property valuation as the basis for rates assessment, with a charge for the services a property enjoys.  - TAX DEDUCTIONS. Rates, maintenance and interest charges on mortgages raised for first-home purchase will, up to an annually inflation-adjusted maximum, be tax deductible.  - PUBLIC TRUST. The Public Trust Office will be empowered to offer conveyancing services to the public in competition with solicitors in private practice.  - STAMP DUTY. The purchase of any property intended for use as a family home will be exempt from stamp duty.  IMMIGRATION. Each application will be considered in its own right regardless of race, colour creed, having regard for our specific needs and humanitarian obligations to rerefugees and displaced persons. Employment of New Zealanders will be safeguarded.  Social Credit's immigration policy rests upon the sovereign right of New Zealand to determine, itself, the number and class of people who shall be granted the right to permanent settlement in this country. Criteria used to determine the acceptable levels of permanent immigration must be related to:  - The population levels and needs required to enable New Zealanders to be able to provide and maintain an acceptable standard of social and economic services and amenities.  - The need of industry and government for people with skills and abilities not readily available among New Zealanders.  - the requirement of New Zealand to meet her special obligations towards her Pacific Island partners, and her general obligations to the world community to offer humanitarian refuge to displaced persons.  - the ability of New Zealand to successfully absorb and integrate immigrants into her communities and ways of life.  - the safeguarding of employment and career opportunities for all New Zealanders.  The granting of temporary work permits and entry visas to citizens of foreign countries wishing to enter New Zealand for purposes of study, research or employment, must be seen to be based upon the general principle of no discrimination on account of race, creed or colour.  1. ADMINISTRATION.  (a) EACH APPLICATION CONSIDERED. Each application for permanent immigration into New Zealand will be considered 'in its own right', regardless of race, colour or creed, but having regard for New Zealand's specific needs and her humanitarian obligations.  (b) RELATIVES. Special regard will be paid to permanent New Zealand residents' requests to be allowed to sponsor spouses, dependents or immediate relatives to New Zealand, where such people are not covered by allowable immigration criteria.  (c) OCCUPATIONAL PRIORITY LIST. This will be reviewed with the aim of abolishing it as soon as possible.  (d) MINOR OFFENCES. Where a prospective migrant has been convicted of a minor offence which carries a sentence of less than twelve months imprisonment, more than five years before his application for entry, the discretion of the Minister to bar entry into New Zealand will be abolished.  2. MIGRANT SERVICES.  (a) An independent Migrants' Advisory Council will be set up under the Department of Labour to advise and educate all prospective immigrants, but especially immigrants from the Pacific, of their rights and obligations and the practical skills they will need to fit into the daily requirements of life in New Zealand.  (b) Offices of the Council will be established in New Zealand's former Pacific territories and in other Pacific Islands from which New Zealand draws significant numbers of immigrants.  (c) Branches of the Council within New Zealand will be responsible for arranging courses in English language, and orientation to New Zealand's life and work, to assist the immigrants to adjust to their new circumstances and contribute to our way of life as rapidly as possible.  3. PACIFIC WORK PERMIT PROGRAMMES. Social Credit will honour the sponsored work permit programmes entered into with the governments of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. These schemes will be regularly reviewed to take into account the particular needs of these Island nations, and to give particular emphasis to the training of work permit holders in professional and skilled occupations These rights of short-term entry for purposes of study or employment will be co-ordinated with trade and development programmes which aim to achieve a longer-term increase in the living standards and employment opportunities in the Pacific.  4. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.  (a) Non-resident visitors who overstay work permits will be deported to their country of origin, regardless of race, colour or creed.  (b) An Appeals Tribunal, rather than the Minister, will hear appeals for a stay of deportation on humanitarian or compassionate grounds only.  5. AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL. The free movement of travellers and permanent residents between Australia and New Zealand will be retained. Social Credit will encourage all possible means of co-ordinating the efforts of Australian and New Zealand law enforcement agents, to control illicit and criminal traffic between the two countries, short of ending the traditional 'open door' policy.  6. NEW ZEALAND CITIZENSHIP. New Zealand citizenship will be granted to applicants after five years continuous residence in New Zealand.  7. REFUGEE SETTLEMENT. Social Credit will support the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and negotiate an acceptable quota of refugee intake with such groups as World Vision and the Inter-Church Committee for Refugees. The Migrants' Advisory Council will be empowered to provide back-up services, refugee absorption centres and language and orientation programmes in conjunction with the efforts of voluntary organisations.  INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS. Reform will be based on co-operation and harmony, a joint responsibility by employers and workers, a multi-skill team. A Social Credit economy provides the ground-work for a type of employer-employee relationship which has hitherto been unattainable in a society based on a system of finance unable to meet the requirements of modern industrial progress. We see a proper relationship as one in which no member of our society benefits unless he benefits others; in which all members, according to their contribution of effort and skill, receive their fair and proper share of the standard of living they make possible; in which wage earners reassert their dignity and self-respect as vital members of the productive community, together with their fellows in business management, farming and professions - all engaged in the task of building a better nation. Social Credit believes in the principle, of mutual employer-worker shareholding and profit-sharing, and worker participation in industrial management.  1. INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT. A Social Credit Government will encourage the reform of industrial relations towards a new awareness of the quality of life and social requirements of the working environment. Models will be provided, introducing the concept of Collective Agreement Contracts in industry and promoting a change in emphasis towards participation in both management and planning by workers. The objective will be to introduce a joint responsibility and multi-skill team basis for the production of goods and services; with remuneration based on the level of skill, education and individual ability, not limited by arbitrary definitions of roles within industry.  2. INCOMES. Social Credit will implement a minimum nett weekly income, based on the single-income family unit, which will provide an adequate, good standard of living for all.  3. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS. Industrial relations will be based on the principle of encouraging industrial co-operation and harmony between workers and employers, unions and management, through negotiated terms. A Social Credit Government will take an active part in industrial disputes only after all other efforts to negotiate a settlement have failed. We will encourage and assist worker participation in all suitable employment situations.  4. TRADE UNIONS. We acknowledge the right of all workers to organise and strive to improve their conditions, rates of pay and hours of work. We also see trade unions as a source of knowledge and skill, co-operating with industrial management to achieve greater progress for all. A Social Credit Government will encourage the union movement to reform on the following basis:  - THE F.O.L. The F.O.L. will be encouraged and expected to represent all workers at a nationwide level.  - INDUSTRY UNIONS. These will represent all workers in related industries on a nationwide basis. The amalgamation of unions into Industry Unions will be negotiated between the Government, the F.O.L. and other representative bodies, and the union members.  - INDUSTRIAL COUNCILS. These will represent all workers at the one place of work, or all workers in small-scale operations within defined localities. The Councils will be expected to affiliate with the parent Industry Union and other representative bodies.  - INDUSTRIAL TRUSTS. These will be elected by the members of Industrial Councils to act for, and be responsible to, worker shareholders, for the administration of their shares in co-operative enterprise.  5. SERVICE INDUSTRIES.  - Those sections of publicly-controlled organisations which actually utilise productive capital for the sale of goods and services, will be organised and designated as Trading Corporations, with power to trade under conditions similar to those prevailing in the private sector.  - People whose employment denies them any opportunity of being associated with a trading organisation, because of its strictly service nature (Government, and Local Body structures), will be assisted to establish trusts that would invest in public share issues on behalf of members.  - In all cases that any trading organisation is operating an approved worker-shareholding scheme for Industrial Councils and Industrial Trusts, such organisations will be given tax advantages in recognition of their co-operative nature.  6. MINISTER OF LABOUR. The Ministry of Labour will be regarded as a single fulltime portfolio for a senior minister in a Social Credit Government.  7. CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION. Social Credit upholds the principles of conciliation and arbitration in the settlement of industrial questions that .may arise between the parties to an industrial agreement.  8. REDUNDANCY. All wage and salary earners made redundant for any reason, whether from economic conditions or from automation, will be assisted to re-establish themselves in gainful occupation and, if necessary, will be retrained in the skills required to enable a fruitful participation in society.  9. UNEMPLOYMENT.  (a) MORE JOBS. The first priority in Social Credit's assistance to the unemployed will be a range of economic and social policies which will attract private and, where necessary, government investment into the productive sector of the economy. This will absorb, the unemployed in renewed economic growth, greater processing of traditional primary products, development of new industries using New Zealand's own resources and technology (e.g. co-operatively-owned liquid fuel plants) and regional development funded by greater investment locally by the trustee savings bank system.  (b) SHOWER WORKING WEEK. A shorter working week and job-sharing schemes will also be implemented where practicable.  (c) BENEFIT. For married persons who are the principal income earners for their families the rate of unemployment benefit paid will be based on the award rate of wages or salaries formerly earned by those displaced, for up to three months. Thereafter, it will be paid at the same rate as for other social security beneficiaries in cases of long-term unemployment. Single persons, and married persons whose income supplements family income, will receive 60% of their former award rate on the same conditions as outlined.  10. NEW TECHNOLOGY. Social Credit welcomes the new technology because our enlightened financial policy is geared to receive it. Automation will be encouraged to improve the quality of life and socio-technical relationships necessary in the production of goods and services. Scientific advances will be utilised to reduce drudgery and increase productivity, and through share participation, reduce dependence on the forty-hour week as an essential social factor in our society. Work sharing and individual development will be encouraged, along with expanded educational facilities that provide a wide range of programmes for personal fulfilment.  11. WORKING CONDITIONS. Financial reform will provide the base for increased investment in the capital required to improve the working environment, expand the employment base and diversify the location of productive facilities to a more regional basis.  12. MARGINS.  (a) Initially, a baseline wage level will be set and various factors such as skill, danger, responsibility etc. will be accorded points towards establishing guidelines for margins.  (b) This concept will be expanded towards a broader system of remuneration resulting from the attainment of skill, educational and practical qualifications, and capacity to co-ordinate on a 'total skill' basis.  13. WORKER SHAREHOLDING.  (a) Participation by employees in the share capital dividend structure of companies will be encouraged and assisted by tax concessions and special loans.  (b) Employee shareholdings will entail the same rights and responsibilities as ordinary shareholders.  (c) The necessary legislative and legal reforms will be enacted to protect the interests of all parties, owners, investors, and workers, and to prevent the abuse of a co-operative, worker- participation system.  14. SAFETY. Industrial safety is an essential function of production. Legislation and enforcement will be revised and strengthened to ensure maximum participation by industry.  15. RESEARCH. Social Credit will foster and assist the expansion of industrial research and education in all facets of the commercial environment.  16. HOLIDAYS. We will arrange a meeting of interested parties to study the possibility of staggering annual holidays throughout the year, in order to ensure the provision of adequate services at all times. There will be a minimum of three weeks annual leave for all permanent employees.  17. REDUCTION. Social Credit will move towards flexibility and reduction of the working hours per week, in order to help promote its policy of full use of the new technology and the development of greater opportunities for leisure. This will be related to a strong and positive programme at local, regional and nationwide levels, for helping people to use their leisure constructively for self-development and self-expression.  Law and order. In no way will Social Credit condone lawlessness and disorderly behaviour in society. In no way will Social Credit condone lawlessness and disorderly behaviour in society. While we believe strongly in individual freedom, that freedom cannot be properly enjoyed unless people exercise responsibility and discipline. They must live within the law. If lawlessness prevails then it is almost impossible to make sure everyone's rights, including the right to protest, can be protected.  Social Credit recognises the right of individuals and groups to demonstrate peacefully on matters of conscience.  1. POLICE.  (a) MORE MANPOWER. We consider that the police force is under-manned, underpaid and generally under pressure, and will take steps to remedy this situation as a matter of urgency.  (b) COMMUNITY-BASED POLICE. In collaboration with the Police Association, Social Credit will pursue the concept of a more personalised contact of the police with the New Zealand public, that is, the neighbourhood bobby' concept. We will consider urgently the re-establishment of smaller rural and suburban police stations.  (c) CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. Conditions of service at all levels within the police force will be subject to regular review, and not be allowed to fall below those applicable to key unions.  (d) TRAINING. Comprehensive and up-to-date training facilities and sufficient manpower will be made available to ensure that the police are able to meet the demands made on them by growing violent and sophisticated crime.  2. PROBATION SERVICE. The probation service is labouring under similar constraints (See 1 (a) above) and similar steps will be taken, particularly in view of the advantages of probation and community service orders over imprisonment, in terms of both cost efficiency and the rehabilitation of the criminal.  3. PENALTIES FOR CRIME.  (a) AGAINST THE PERSON. We look upon crimes against the person as far more serious matters than crimes against property, and we therefore propose a re-evaluation of penalties to reflect this approach.  (b) RESTITUTION. In the area of crimes against the person considerable emphasis will be placed upon restitution to the injured party.  (c) ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES. Despite its superficial attraction as a sanction against criminal activity, imprisonment is not only disproportionately expensive but also has proved to be positively counter-productive as a method of reformation of the criminal. Far greater emphasis must therefore be placed on such alternative penalties as fines, confiscation, probation, periodic detention and community service orders.  Law reform. Social Credit will safeguard individual rights make the voting system more democratic, rehabilitate prisoners, and improve legal assistance.  1. CIVIL RIGHTS.  (a) BILL OF RIGHTS. We will introduce a Bill of Rights to limit the power of government and safeguard the individual against the invasion of rights and liberties.  (b) RIGHT OF PRIVACY. We support the principle of a right of privacy and will give this principle legislative backing, particularly in the fields of modern bugging devices and access to computer data.  (c) SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. The N.Z. Security Intelligence Service Amendment Act, 1977, will be amended by transferring the power to issue interception warrants to the Chief Justice, and by setting a time limit on the duration of warrants of not more than ninety days. The S.I.S. Act, 1969, will be amended by substituting 'treason' for 'subversion' in the definition of activities which are subject to the surveillance of the STS. We will establish a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal against decisions of the Commissioner of Security Appeals, in respect of complains made to the Commissioner by persons adversely affected by the activities of the S.I.S.  2. HUMAN RIGHTS.  (a) EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. Social Credit will rationalise all legislation relating to equal opportunity into one effective code.  (b) RAPE DEFINITION. The statutory definition of rape contained in the Crimes Act, 1961, will be amended to include any situation in which a woman is forced against her will to submit to sexual intercourse.  3. ELECTORAL.  (a) PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. Under a Social Credit Government parliamentary elections will be conducted under the proportional representation system incorporating the single transferable vote in multi-candidate constituencies. This is known as PR-STV.  (b) CONTROL OF ELECTORAL SYSTEM. The ultimate control of the electoral system will be removed from the Executive and vested directly in Parliament.  (c) ABOLITION OF BOUNDARIES COMMISSION. An independent statutory body, to be known as The Elections and Polls Commission, will be established. This will absorb relevant functions and duties of the present Representation (Boundaries) Commission which will be abolished. Thus the redrawing of electoral boundaries every five years will be free from political interference.  (d) ONE ELECTORAL ROLL. We favour a single, common roll for all New Zealanders.  (e) ELECTORAL SPENDING LIMITS. A Social Credit Government will tighten electoral spending limits, extending them to national campaigns, which will include a more detailed demarcation between the two. There will be restrictions placed on pseudo-government spending such as free air travel for W's campaigning outside their electorates.  (f) INITIATIVE. A Social Credit Government will adopt a system known as the initiative as found in Switzerland and some American states, although in a somewhat modified form to suit N.Z. conditions. Under this system a N.Z. government would be obliged to hold a referendum on any matter if approximately 100000 eligible electors petition for it. If the referendum itself records a certain specified proportion of votes then the matter automatically becomes law.  (g) ORGANISATIONS OF ELECTORS. All Members of Parliament will be encouraged to foster the formation of non-party organisations of electors to act as liaison committees, and to consult with them in matters concerning their respective electorates. Members will be required to report to their electorates after each session of parliament.  (h) BALLOT PAPERS. Standardised ballot papers will be introduced to cover both parliamentary and local body elections.  4. PRISONERS' WELFARE.  (a) MORE OFFICERS. Additional welfare officers will be appointed to courts and prisons.  (b) REHABILITATION. The rehabilitation of prisoners, by such means as counselling and the opportunity and encouragement to acquire basic literacy and numeracy, job skills and regular work habits, must be given a much higher priority. The prison service will need to be allocated the necessary resources to enable it to undertake this task with some hope of success.  (c) HOME LEAVE. Home leave and pre-release hostels are valuable adjuncts to the rehabilitation of prisoners, and their use will be encouraged and extended.  5. HOMOSEXUAL LAW REFORM. Existing laws prohibiting homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private will be repealed.  6. LEGAL ASSISTANCE.  (a) NEIGHBOURHOOD LAW OFFICES. We will encourage and assist in the extension of Neighbourhood Law Offices to other areas similar to Grey Lynn, where the need for such an Office has been well established.  (b) LEGAL AID. The present legal aid schemes, both civil and criminal, require a major overhaul, and we will invite submissions from the Law Society concerning appropriate amendments.  (c) SMALL CLAIMS COURTS. We will give a high priority to the establishment of additional Small Claims Courts. These Courts have proved their worth as a speedy and economical means of settling small disputes. The extension of the System is overdue.  7. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW.  - PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS. Certain basic procedures to ensure a fair hearing should be followed by all tribunals. These include such matters as notice of the time, place and issues; evidence; public hearings; legal representation; and a requirement that findings and reasons be supplied, in writing, either as of right or on timely request. A general code will therefore be introduced to regulate the practice and procedure of administrative tribunals, although tribunals will remain free to prescribe detailed rules.  - APPEALS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS. Rights of appeal will be granted from all administrative tribunals to the Administrative Division of the High Court.  - RIGHT TO A HEARING. We will ensure that any person whose rights, property or livelihood are adversely affected by administrative action or the exercise of statutory powers is first entitled to a hearing. There will be a right of appeal to the Administrative Division of the High Court as to the right to a hearing and the adequacy of any hearing afforded. In addition, a provision will be enacted requiring a hearing before the grant, revocation, suspension or modification of any licence.  - APPEALS AGAINST ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS. We will establish a right of appeal to the Administrative Division of the High Court in areas of the greatest friction between the public and Government Departments and local bodies, such areas to be determined on the recommendation of the Chief Ombudsman.  - THE OMBUDSMAN. The conditions of appointment of the Ombudsman will be equated with those of judges of the High Court. The Chief Justice will be empowered, at his discretion, to call upon any or all of the Ombudsmen to sit on cases coming before the Administrative Division of the High Court where their experience as Parliamentary Commissioners would be of particular value and assistance to the Court.  LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Social Credit firmly believes that people should be able to participate fully in, and have control over, their own affairs. It supports, therefore, decentralisation of government and a strong community identity. Social Credit stands firmly behind effective local and participatory democracy; decentralisation of government, and strong community identity and autonomy. We realise that to make this policy a practicable possibility, a financial framework that will allow such communities to exist and develop is the fundamental first requirement.  1. ADMINISTRATION.  (a) A rationalisation of administration between ad hoc authorities and major local authorities will be applied where economy and efficiency can be improved.  (b) Review and reform of Local Government statutes will be ongoing with the New Zealand Counties and Municipal Associations being fully consulted.  (c) Elected representatives will be required to make a declaration of their financial interests to a committee appointed by the Judiciary.  2. FINANCE. Subject to approval by the Local Authorities Loans Board, loans for development will be made available free of interest, but with an administrative charge only. In certain circumstances free grants will be provided to make possible the establishment of basic community amenities such as water supply, drainage and sewerage schemes.  3. RATING. Social Credit promises an immediate review, to be followed by reform, with one of the following alter-natives, or a combination of them:  - Citizen's Tax.  - Revenue, sharing with central government.  - Rates based on land classification (rural) and Town Plan zoning (urban).  4. TOWN PLANNING. Town planning legislation and procedures will allow for the fullest possible public notification and participation. A fully co-ordinated and full-use approach to the urban community environment will be fostered (See Housing).  5. BOUNDARY CHANGES. We will encourage the establishment of sound territorial units based on local identity, natural community focus and geographical features.  - The Local Government Commission will be directed to draw up alternative schemes of local government reform based on these factors.  - A poll of ratepayers and residents will be taken on the alternatives and the views of the majority put into operation.  - When all processes of participation and consultation have been held, the Local Government Commission will be empowered to draw up a final scheme of local government reform.  - After further representations have been heard, this will become the mandatory scheme for implementation.  6. REGIONAL GOVERNMENT. We are opposed to the "third tier" Regional and United Council concepts currently being implemented. A Social Credit Government will return to the promotion of financially viable councils, counties and boroughs.  7. WARD REPRESENTATION. A ward system of representation of local bodies may be decided at a poll on the petition of 5 per cent of ratepayers in the area.  8. HOUSING.  (a) Pensioner housing schemes will receive greater encouragement.  (b) Downtown Renewal. For reconstruction of decaying areas in larger towns and cities finance will be made available to the local body generally or for lending to individuals at 3% to carry out essential structural renovations to their own homes.  9. SEWERAGE. Local authorities wishing to establish plants will be assisted financially to encourage the composting of sewage wastes.  MARINE. A number of steps will be taken to boost the fishing industry, and protect our fishing grounds from damage and exploitation. In the past New Zealand's rich oceans have not received the attention they deserve, and the few people harvesting the area have not received the assistance warranted by their efforts. By default the Japanese and other nations are exploiting our seas. Since the establishment of the 200-mile zone of economic management and development of a New Zealand-based industry for processing and exporting the potential harvest is essential.  1. MINISTRY OF FISHING AND AQUACULTURE. We will establish a completely independent Ministry of Fishing and Aquaculture, quite distinct from the Ministry of Agriculture.  2. REGIONAL PLANS.  (a) The Ministry will develop Regional Industry Plans based over ten years in co-ordination with the existing local fishing industry.  (b) The primary function of these regional plans will be to determine the overall potential of the region's fish resources and further determine the capital investment needed to develop them.  (c) Incentives for the Regional Industry Plans to develop strong co-operative structures will be provided, so that the fishing industry takes on a character similar to that of the New Zealand Dairy Industry.  3. JOINT VENTURES. Negotiations will take, place with joint venture operators to lift substantially the N.Z. crew components at all competency levels, as assistance to training for our own industry in the medium term.  4. EDUCATION.  (a) CHAIR OF AQUACULTURE. Social Credit will establish a Chair of Aqua-culture at a selected N.Z. university.  (b) SCHOOL OF FISHING. A school of fishing will be established or assisted at a selected technical training institute for the trade training of people wishing to enter the fishing industry.  5. RESEARCH.  (a) Social Credit will set up a scientific research centre with research vessels attached, to provide the fishing industry with its own Ruakura-type facility.  (b) MARINE FARMING. Research into the rapid development of marine farming of shellfish stocks will be intensified.  6. MANAGEMENT. Scientific investigations would be put in hand towards de implementation of fish management and fish farming.  (a) SHELLFISH. All littoral stocks of shellfish (rock oysters excepted) will be decommercialised, and marine shellfish farming in suitable areas will be encouraged for commercial purposes.  (b) ROTATIONAL HARVESTING. Zoning will be introduced for the rotational harvesting of crayfish, and permanent sanctuary, zones banned at all times to exploitation of crayfish will be established.  7. VESSEL OWNERSHIP.  (a) The ministry will assist in the early stages of fleet development by introducing imaginative methods of vessel ownership, such as leasing and lease-to-buy schemes.  (b) All sales tax will be removed from fishing vessels and components or equipment used in commercial fishing.  8. REFITTING AND VESSEL CONSTRUCTION. Port authorities (with altered terms of reference) will be commissioned to investigate and report on the suitability of any N.Z. port or harbour, for the construction repair and modification of vessels to international standards, and on the economic factors attending the development of such a facility.  9. EXPORT. Social Credit will ensure that encouragement for landing specific fish with export value, caught outside our normal inshore waters, is provided.  10. FUEL CONSUMPTION. In recognition of the high cost of fuel in the fishing industry, special incentives will be provided to make use of new technology such as modern sail, as developed by the Japanese, and alternative fuels to diesel oil.  11. LICENCES. There will be a steady reduction of international licences to fish New Zealand's 200-mile zone, as N.Z. vessels and ventures develop.  12. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS. A detailed report on the long-term industrial relations aspects of the fishing industry will be commissioned. This will cover every aspect of the industry from shipbuilding to processing for export.  13. PAIR TRAWLING. For the purposes of conserving and managing our prime fish resources, trawling will be limited by a formula of measuring the power-to-length ratio, and fishing controls will specify the limits of fishing activity by this measure.  14. FISHERIES PROTECTION. All steps necessary will be taken to protect our fishing grounds from any possible damage or depredation.  15. WHALING. Social Credit pledges:  - continued New Zealand support for a minimum ten-year moratorium on all commercial whaling operations.  - its delegates to the International Whaling Commission to press for freedom of information and an end to I.W.C. secret scientific sessions.  - support for international krill management through such bodies as the I.W.C. and Law of the Sea (U.N.) Conference.  - funds for the better enforcement of the Marine Manuals Protection Act.  - vigorous promotion of research into the production of jojoba oil and by-products.  16. CARGO HANDLING.  (a) PORT AND STEVEDORING EMPLOYEES. A Port and Stevedoring Employees' Council will be set up to make representations, and recommendations on manning, handling movement, storage, or any other procedure designed to increase efficiency. Such a Council will liaise with the Ports and Harbour Board Associations.  (b) PRODUCTIVITY AGREEMENT. A local and national productivity agreement on cargo handled will be negotiated by all port employers loading, discharging or storing marine cargoes. Such bonuses will be allocated to the various areas on the ratio of actual to potential manhours worked, other than hours not required by a port authority which will be classed as worked.  (c) WORKER PARTICIPATION. Further worker participation will be fostered in accordance with Social Credit industrial policy.  17. EXPANSION OF N.Z. SHIPPING. The N.Z. Shipping Corporation will be charged with researching, developing, and expanding a New Zealand-owned mercantile fleet capable of meeting expanded trade requirements and of reducing the nation's dependence on overseas interests for the established trade routes.  18. COASTAL SHIPPING. The N.Z. Shipping Corporation will be responsible for research and development of vessels suited to the N.Z. coastal service; and liaison with relevant harbour and port authorities to ensure that an efficient coastal service regains its place in the nationwide transport system.  19. MARINE INSURANCE. The N.Z. Shipping Corporation will convene a meeting of shipping-port authorities, importers-exporters and insurers, and any other relevant group in order to establish the New Zealand Mercantile Interests' Insurance Pool (NZMIP). The objectives of the NZMIP will be to encourage the insurance in New Zealand of any goods imported and exported through our ports, or carried on our own registered vessels, or vessels which load or discharge any cargo in N.Z. waters. It will accept the insurance of any New Zealand-registered vessel, or of any goods transported to or from New Zealand for the purpose of trade, sale, or exhibition by any other means. A plussage would be added to insurance contracted overseas.  The purpose of such an organisation is to reduce the massive cost to N.Z. of insurance in the 'invisibles' of the external trade deficit.  OVERSEAS TRADE. Present protectionist policies create friction, conflict, and prevent New Zealand gaining access to many international markets. New Zealand is a major trading nation and needs an open-marketing, free-access environment to develop as many international markets as possible for our exports. The present protectionist approach by individual nations, whether by means of economic sanctions, or the quota system, creates friction and jealousy between countries, which often ends in open conflict. These policies are largely the result of inadequate internal monetary systems.  To establish stable and secure markets over the widest possible areas, and to show by example a method of dealing with the problems of world trade, a Social Credit Government will implement the following policies.  1. RECIPROCAL AND BILATERAL TRADE.  (a) Social Credit will actively promote reciprocal and bilateral trading with countries other than our traditional markets, and gradually reduce tariffs.  (b) We will encourage the extension of trade with other Pacific nations.  (c) We will continue negotiations with, and participation in, the A.S.E.A.N. countries conferences and work towards the long-term objective of a Pacific Free-Trade Association.  2. EXPORT CREDITS. An Export Credit Account will be established at the N.Z.C.A. for those countries willing to trade bilaterally, so that trading may proceed unhampered by balance of payments problems. Such credits will be at a nominal rate only. This would ensure that trade policies are based on the principle of mutual economic benefit and not on charity through aid.  3. LONG-TERM PLANNING. The trade objectives for New Zealand will be based on the kind of future society we wish to create as a nation. Consideration of population objectives and growth rates, the quality of life desirable, our internal potential for both primary and secondary growth, the degree of energy self-sufficiency that is possible, and/or desirable, and a projection of international trends or options, all will be used to develop our long-term goals. Once goals are established, internal industry will be encouraged to adopt the development plan and assist in its successful completion.  4. BOARD OF TRADE. A Board of Trade will be set up, with the responsibility of preparing an annual trade budget for parliamentary approval. The Board will supervise the progress of the budget throughout the year. The Board will also report on the full consequences of new or existing protective regulations restricting trade, and may submit recommendations to the Minister on behalf of the consumers affected. Exemptions may be necessary to ensure that essential capital equipment and raw materials are imported for the development and benefit of the country as a whole.  5. TRADE COMMISSIONERS. A Social Credit Government will establish consular offices and trade secretariats wherever practicable to expand reciprocal and bilateral trade. To ensure a professional approach the Trade Commissioners may be appointed from the private sector on an attractive, contractual basis, for specific marketing projects. These appointments will be outside the State Services Commission's jurisdiction.  6. EXPORT DEVELOPMENT. New Zealand needs, to continue the expansion of raw and processed primary products, and to make the best use of our skills and resources. To encourage this reasonable financial incentives will be given to new and expanding export industries, and to those industries developing new products.  7. FOREIGN INVESTMENT. A Social Credit Government will introduce adequate measures to prevent foreign investors from obtaining a dominant interest in New Zealand property and industry. (See Overseas Ownership of Land under Environment).  8. SALES PROMOTION. A professional approach to developing new markets and products to suit is essential for the long-term success of economic growth in New Zealand. All possible means will be used to promote sales of New Zealand products to potential markets. Qualified market research personnel will be employed from private enterprise.  PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Social Credit will curb executive power, make the process of lawmaking more democratic, streamline the committee system and give greater recognition to alternative points of view. Social Credit abhors the increasing gap between true democracy and the present parliamentary system. It will therefore restore parliament to its proper role as the nation's decision-making body, thus giving it a more effective check on the government of the day. To this end abuses and excesses of Executive power will be curbed, the process of lawmaking made more democratic, the committee system streamlined, and a greater recognition afforded to alternative points of view.  1. EXECUTIVE POWER. In order to curb the abuse of Executive power and to upgrade parliament  - the Executive will be accountable to parliament.  - anything done by the Executive by Order in Council may be done or changed by resolution of parliament.  - all regulations, and other instruments, made by Order in Council, will be automatically referred to the appropriate Standing Committee.  2. LAWMAKING.  (a) The introduction of a Bill into parliament will be the right of any member or any two or more members or any parliamentary committee.  (b) There will be no limitation on the passage of any Bill that is said to involve an 'appropriation', real or imaginary. Those Standing Orders requiring that leave must be granted before a Bill can be introduced, and which is not sponsored by the Executive, will be revoked.  (c) Every Bill will be given a first reading without any vote on the question.  (d) Bills will be automatically referred to the appropriate Standing Committees, unless declared urgent.  (e) Bills will be referred to parliamentary committees when parliament is out of session, if members presenting them undertake to formally introduce them when the next session commences.  (f) The parliamentary committee to which two or more Bills have been referred will be able to consolidate those Bills, and report the result back as one Bill, in circumstances where the Bills are on the same or related subjects or propose to amend the same principal Act.  3. PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES.  SERVICING. The existing committee system will be streamlined and serviced by parliamentary permanent staff, and parliamentary employees who serve the political groups.  POWERS OF INVESTIGATION. Committees will have effective powers of investigation that they are able to exercise on their own initiative or on that of any member of a particular committee, without obstruction by the Executive or majority party.  PUBLIC HEARINGS. A greater emphasis will be placed on public hearings of Parliamentary Select Committees. When committees are 'open', news media representatives will be entitled to televise and take sound recordings of the proceedings.  4. RECOGNITION OF OTHER POLITICAL GROUPS. Specific provisions will be introduced that accord due recognition and respect to all political groups and independent members in parliament, concerning their rights and the conduct of proceedings.  5. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.  (a) CODE OF ETHICS. A code of ethics for Members of Parliament will be drawn up. This code will place some restriction on the protection members have at present when making personal attacks on people, both within and outside the House, when this type of attack made outside the House would face proceedings in a court of law.  (b) PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INTERESTS. All Members of Parliament will be required to make a complete disclosure of their financial affairs to the Auditor General who will report thereon, as he thinks necessary, to a select committee of the House. Ministers will not be permitted to deal in land or engage in financial or business activities likely to lead to a conflict between their private affairs and the public interest. They may be required to convert certain of their assets into blind trusts where only the trustees know the nature of the investments.  (c) CABINET APPOINTMENTS. A Social Credit Government will give consideration to appointing Members of Parliament of other political parties to cabinet, committees and/or other offices where their experience and expertise can be of use and, indeed, even desirable for a harmonious relation-ship between the Government, the House of Representatives, and the people of New Zealand.  (d) ELECTORATE OFFICES. A network of electorate offices will be established, responsible to parliament, and providing in each electorate, electorate liaison and secretarial facilities for all MP's.  6. PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE.  (a) A Parliamentary Service will be established, with a civil service system modified to suit such an organisation.  (b) The Service will include the Legislative Department, the Parliamentary Counsel Office, the staff of the Ombudsmen and the General Assembly Library, each division with its permanent head.  (c) Negotiations will be entered into with the Public Service Association with a view to the employees of the Audit Office also becoming a division of the Parliamentary Service.  7. PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL.  (a) The Parliamentary Counsel Office will be expanded in order to cope with the considerable expansion of duties and range of work arising from the upgrading of parliament, e.g. legal services for select committees.  (b) Counsel will be appointed who are attached to the respective political groups in parliament.  8. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. A member of the High Judiciary will be chosen by and seconded to parliament to assume the duties of Speaker of the House of Representatives.  9. PARLIAMENTARY TERM. Social Credit will maintain the three-year life of parliament.  10. EARLY SESSION. A mandatory shortened and early session of parliament will be held within a specified time following a General Election.  11. NEW ZEALAND ANTHEM. The New Zealand Anthem, God Defend New Zealand, will take precedence at all official government functions.  RACE RELATIONS. Social Credit will foster a multiracial, cultural society. Social Credit's race relations' policies are based on the principle of a developing multicultural, multiracial society. Within this each member will have equal opportunity to develop, equal access to essential facilities, and equal rights to dignity and heritage. A Social Credit Government will strive towards eliminating the traditional structures that inhibit Polynesian development and have created a maze of bureaucratic bodies. Our goal is to promote the control and construction of programmes for self-development.  1. RACE RELATIONS RESEARCH. Social Credit recognises the need for extensive research into race relations and the whole area of cultural adjustment as the necessary basis for following enlightened policies. A Social Credit Government will support the immediate establishment of a fully-equipped, and adequately-staffed university-based race relations research and study centre.  2. LAW.  (a) REVIEW OF LEGISLATION. Many of the laws passed in New Zealand fail to recognise the multicultural nature of our society. Existing legislation which is in this category will accordingly be reviewed.  (b) TREATY OF WAITANGI. We will enact the non-retrospective ratification of the land and citizenship provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi, with the exception of the Crown pre-emption clause.  3. LAND.  (a) SELF-DETERMINATION. Maori owners will be able to decide for themselves whether they should have the control of their land, or any other asset, at present controlled by the Maori Trustee.  (b) CO-OPERATIVES. Maori owners will be encouraged to place fragmented land under the legal title of a co-operative land company in which the present owners are the shareholders.  (c) LAND COURTS. The Maori Land Court will be retained as a separate body.  4. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. The following will be phased out as soon as they become redundant:  (a) The Post of Minister of Maori Affairs.  (b) The Department of Maori Affairs.  (c) The Maori Social and Economic Act 1945 and the organisations thereby created.  5. CULTURE.  (a) BROADCASTING. In our developing multicultural society the main ethnic groups will have greater opportunity to place aspects of their cultures before the community via open access broadcasting. Multicultural participation will also be encouraged in educational programmes, including television.  (b) MAORITANGA FOUNDATION. At the request of the Maori people Social Credit will establish a Maoritanga Foundation controlled entirely by the Maori people chosen on a representative basis. Such a Foundation would absorb the underfinanced Maori Purposes Fund Board. Its general objectives would be to establish regional centres, urban maraes, promote cultural activities, sponsor films, radio and television programmes, and other appropriate activities.  6. EDUCATION (See Education Policy).  (a) TEACHER TRAINING. A course in Maori Studies will be undertaken by teacher trainees, designed by specialists in the field. (b) VOCATIONAL  The work of the Tu Tangata Programme in schools will be supported especially follow-up counselling and courses in vocational guidance. Orientation courses for Maori youths moving to the cities will be extended, as will pre-vocational courses.  7. COMMUNITY CENTRES. Social Credit will establish in cities with a significant multicultural Population, cross-cultural urban community centres, multiculturally staffed and with the main objective of allowing people of any culture to meet on absolutely equal terms for the purpose of mutual cultural enrichment.  8. TRIBAL TRUST BOARDS. The League will restore the purchasing power of Tribal Trust Board incomes to their original level, by subsidy or by a re-assessment of original grants.  9. HOUSING. Special local body regulations will be formulated to enable experimentation with new architectural and settlement designs more in tune with traditional ethnic kinship and cultural patterns.  10. ELECTORAL. Social Credit favours a single, common electoral roll for all New Zealanders.  REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Companies will be encouraged to establish industries in smaller centres, with maximum local shareholding. We favour low capital, high labour-content operations.  1. DECENTRALISATION.  (a) Companies will be encouraged and assisted to establish industry in the smaller centres with the maximum possible number of local investing shareholders.  (b) Decentralised factories will be autonomous where possible.  (c) Companies will have access to low-cost social capital to invest in those amenities which the local people believe will provide the best social and physical environment at work and in the enjoyment of leisure time.  (d) Companies will be encouraged to co-operate with their local body in the building of integrated, self-contained communities which will provide adequate social, cultural, educational and recreational facilities to be shared and enjoyed by all the people within the community.  2. TRANSPORT  (a) Adequate transportation systems will be provided to service decentralised industry.  (b) The transportation costs of all decentralised companies within regions will be automatically subsidised to the extent that the price of products marketed is competitive with industry in close proximity to large markets.  3. INDUSTRY CLOSING DOWN. When a skilled industry becomes redundant in an area, e.g. coal mine, Social Credit believes that society should pay the social cost of re-establishing the people concerned in another area so that their skills are not wasted.  4. HOUSES AND AMENITIES IN SMALL TOWNS. Social Credit believes in making full use of existing houses and civic amenities in the smaller towns. To encourage this we will see that adequate passenger transport is available to nearby larger towns or use made of them to house farm workers and their families.  5. CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. To satisfy the cultural hunger that causes many people to leave smaller areas, we will make funds available so that groups such as singers, musicians, actors, can visit these areas (See Arts and Culture).  6. EDUCATION. We will ensure that the education facilities in smaller areas are of the highest standard and comparable with those in larger centres.  SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. Social Credit will reform the D.S.I.R. into a Scientific and Industrial Research Corporation. It will research all aspects of primary and secondary industry. A Social Credit Government will free scientific research from the twin pressures of political influences and financial want. The heavy loss of research personnel has resulted as much from isolation, frustrations arising out of administrative restrictions and lack of research funds as from low salary scales.  1. SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH CORPORATION. D.S.I.R. will be reconstituted as a Scientific and Industrial Research Corporation which will be charged with the following responsibilities:  (a) The conduct of research into all facets of New Zealand's primary and secondary industries.  (b) Ensuring that the remuneration of all personnel employed compares favourably with overseas conditions.  (c) Ensuring that modern and up-to-date equipment is available at all times.  (d) Providing staff with adequate opportunities to attend international conferences and visit and/or work in similar scientific institutions overseas.  (e) Furthering the health of humankind as it relates to the physical environment, contact with animals, the build-up of agricultural and industrial poisons in soil, water and biological foodchains, and harmful chemical residues (of whatever origin) in food and drink.  (f) Maintaining diagnostic stations in suitable districts.  2. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION. A Social credit Government will legislate to make disclosure of scientific information amassed by the Scientific and Industrial Research Corporation, Government departments and agencies funded by public money the rule rather than the exception (See Environment 4).  SECONDARY INDUSTRY. The growing trends towards overseas control will be halted. We will establish industries based on our own raw materials.  1. ASSISTANCE. The maintenance and expansion of existing industries, the establishment of new industries based on the use of our own raw materials, the processing and packaging of primary products, and the production of goods for export and home consumption, all will be actively assisted by the following means:  (a) Expansion of industrial research.  (b) Provision of development finance under reasonable terms.  (c) Taxation incentives and realistic depreciation allowances on plant and equipment.  (d) Board of Trade (See Overseas Trade) control of import licence allocations, free from Government interference to ensure an adequate flow of imports of necessary raw materials, and to afford protection where required for all sections of industry.  (e) Liberalising of transport regulations to promote greater economy and efficiency.  (f) An enlightened labour and employment policy which will bring about greater co-operation between wage earners and management in developing our industries to mutual and general advantage.  (g) Establishing assured markets for export production by measures set out in Overseas Trade.  2. OVERSEAS INVESTMENT. The interests of the New Zealand people will always be paramount where foreign participation through overseas investment is sought. The growing trend towards overseas control will be halted. Outgoings of New Zealand exchange as earnings by overseas investors will not exceed the savings and/or earnings of exchange effected by the operations of any industry.  3. SMALL BUSINESS. For Social Credit's policy on small and medium-size businesses (company tax, decentralisation policies, investment) see Small Business.  SMALL BUSINESS. Small business is the heart and soul of the New Zealand economy. A Social Credit Government will create an economic climate in which small and medium-size businesses, individual and family enterprises, can prosper. Their growth is vital for stimulating new ideas, developing new products, providing more jobs, and in-creasing productivity and exports.  Social Credit will govern so that small and medium-size businesses will have the resources and incentives to expand. This will increase the tax base so that tax rates can he reduced.  1. COMPANY TAX. A revision of company tax will be undertaken to ensure greater equity and increased incentive.  (a) WORKER SHAREHOLDING SCHEMES. Where any trading organisation is operating an approved worker shareholding scheme such an organisation will be designated as a co-operative and not liable for any taxation at the company level. In all cases tax will be paid once only in the hands of the individual shareholder.  (b) CO-OPERATIVES. Co-operative company tax will be reviewed to ensure that tax is paid on all profits except those distributed to shareholders on a turnover basis by way of dividend, rebate, or increased shareholding.  (c) DIVIDENDS. Company tax will be paid once only when dividends are transmitted to another company.  (d) EXPORT INCENTIVE SCHEMES. Export incentive schemes involving rebates of company tax will be progressively abolished. Compensation will be achieved by the payment of an adequate amount in terms of New Zealand dollars for overseas, exchange earned. We oppose present indirect taxpayer subsidy to big business.  (e) PROVISIONAL TAX. The payment of provisional tax will be progressively reduced.  2. INVESTMENT FINANCE. Under Social Credit's economic policy (See Finance) there will be more investment finance available in local areas through Regional Development Banks. And Social Credit's policy of reducing loan interest rates will make new ventures requiring capital far more competitive.  3. DEATH DUTIES. Social Credit believes small and medium-size family businesses must be able to be passed on to immediate members of the family without undue hardship. Death duties will be abolished to the level which fully protects the family business.  4. DECENTRALISATION.  (a) Companies will be encouraged and assisted to establish industries in the smaller centres, with the maximum possible number of local investing shareholders.  (b) Decentralised factories will be autonomous where possible.  (c) Companies will have access to low-cost capital to invest in those amenities which the local people believe will provide the best social and physical environment at work and in the enjoyment of leisure time.  (d) The transport costs of all decentralised companies within regions will be subsidised to the extent that the price of products marketed is competitive with industry in close proximity to large markets.  5. RED TAPE. We will remove unnecessary red tape and petty restrictions associated with establishing and operating businesses.  6. MONOPOLIES AND TAKEOVERS.  (a) Adequate legislation will be introduced to govern business monopolies and takeovers.  (b) If it is shown that aggregation of resources is necessary, Social Credit will convert this type of monopoly into a co-operative.  (c) Those companies which cannot be fragmented will be subject to price control.  (d) Corporate structures will be required to display publicly a diagram of the company’s structure and relationship with associate or owned subsidiaries.  Social Credit opposes the establishment of such high capital intensive industries as the proposed second smelter. They reduce the investment funds available for small business, and provide only a small number of jobs relative to the investment. Social Credit supports low-capital, high-labour-content operations, preferably based on local resources.  SOCIAL WELFARE. Social Credit will promote self-help rat than dependence, greater local responsibility, strengthen family life, and improve support for voluntary agencies. Social Credit's welfare policy should be seen as one part of a much wider, integrated programme of economic and social reform designed to restore to people security and dignity, with freedom, and an ownership stake and participation in the resources and producing assets of the nation. In a future likely to be dominated by automated industry and the silicon chip, Social Credit's welfare strategy aims to move the basis of income progressively away from an exclusive connection with employment (in the form of wages and salaries) to a basis of ownership (in the form of dividends). Our goal is a property-owning democracy of owner-operators, family units, and worker and citizen shareholders. In such a society the widest possible spectrum of New Zealanders will own and control their own enterprises and resources. Social Credit believes a sound welfare policy should:  - meet the needs of those in our community who are unable to support themselves because of age, sickness, disability, handicap, enforced unemployment or deprivation.  - emphasise preventive social welfare through practical social work and family support services.  - plan and build balanced, stable and caring communities.  - assure an all-round state of mental, physical and social well-being of the individual.  - develop policies which protect and strengthen family life.  Social Credit sees the state's role as that of guarantor, against poverty and disadvantage. Its task is to promote within society, to the maximum degree possible, conditions which allow the individual to be self-reliant and independent. Therefore, the basic thrust of our policy is the encouragement of self-help rather than welfare dependence.  1. ADMINISTRATION.  (a) INTEGRATED SYSTEM. Social Credit will work towards bringing together Social Security, Accident Compensation and National Superannuation into one co-ordinated and integrated social welfare system.  (b) ANOMALIES. Social Credit will remove anomalies from the system to ensure no one is disadvantaged in their entitlement.  (c) DECENTRALISATION. Social Credit will seek to decentralise the structure and responsibilities of the Department of Social Welfare. It will become primarily concerned with setting overall welfare policy guidelines, promoting welfare research and providing advisory backup services to local, private and voluntary welfare groups. A greater degree of local responsibility for social work and support service will be encouraged.  2. INCOME MAINTENANCE.  (a) BASIC MINIMUM INCOME. Social Credit will establish a basic minimum level of earned income per annum for the single income family unit. This will be tax-exempt and periodically adjusted in line with the cost-of-living index.  (b) NATIONAL SUPERANNUATION. We will maintain the present National Superannuation at its present level, as a minimum degree of superannuation. General Wage Orders will be made binding on National Superannuation rates, effective from the date of the Order. The abatement clauses concerning periods in hospital etc. will be removed from the rules of entitlement.  (c) OVERSEAS TRAVEL RESTRICTION. The present three month's restriction on overseas travel affecting age beneficiaries' payments will be removed.  (d) UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE See Industrial Relations 9.  (e) ACCIDENT COMPENSATION.  - Support for Disabled. The accident compensation scheme needs to be co-ordinated with the rest of the social welfare system to eliminate the serious anomalies which exist between the financial assistance and facilities available through accident compensation to the disabled, and the facilities and assistance available for those disabled by sickness (e.g. multiple sclerosis). We will extend the accident compensation scheme to cover disabling sickness.  - Felons. Felons injured in the course of committing a crime will not be eligible to receive accident compensation. Their spouses and/or dependents will receive the normal level of income support.  3. CHILD WELFARE. The key factor in the care of children should be a community commitment to guaranteeing that all dependent children are adequately cared for and supported, whether the family is a two-parent, solo parent or part of a wider extended family. We have a responsibility to educate and equip parents as far as possible for parenthood, and ensure that all supplementary or substitute parent care is of the very highest standard.  (a) ADOPTION. Social Credit will encourage the adoption of parentless children and meet the cost of legal fees incurred by the adopting parents.  (b) KARITANE HOSPITALS. We will re-establish Karitane Hospitals in areas where there is a sufficient amount of confirmed community support.  (c) CRECHES AND DAY CARE CENTRES. In order to allow parents with dependent children to take advantage of employment opportunities, and together with shorter working hours and more flexible employment patterns, Social Credit will encourage the establishment of a network of day nurseries or creches at places of work and study.  (d) PRE-SCHOOL FACILITIES. Social Credit will support and encourage the play centre movement and will speed up the provision of kindergarten facilities for all pre-school children.  (e) HANDICAPPED AND DISABLED. Parents of handicapped and disabled children who require special care or services will receive assistance through additional taxation exemptions or rebates to cover extra costs involved.  (f) FOSTER PARENTING. The system of foster homes and foster parents will be upgraded. We will investigate the feasibility of paying salaries to foster parents, provide greater educational opportunities for foster parents, look at the possibility of special loan finance to enable suitable foster parents to extend their homes to take in foster children.  (g) PARENT EDUCATION.  - Pre- and Post-Natal Care. Specially-trained social workers will liaise with hospitals, midwives and public health nurses to give support to pregnant mothers and inexperienced mothers who lack wider family support. Post-natal care programmes, such as plunket and district nurse services, will be maintained and expanded.  - Schools. Greater participation and involvement between parents and educational facilities will be encouraged.  - Neighbourhood Centres. Social Credit will encourage voluntary moves to set up neighbourhood centres in each centre or suburban neighbourhood where parents can gather during the day, leave their children for an hour or two, and seek advice and more support.  (h) SAFETY. The use of protective car seats for young children will be made compulsory. Sales tax on these seats will be abolished.  4. CARE OF ELDERLY. Social Credit will assist charitable trusts and local bodies to build residential complexes for the elderly, which combine independence and flat dwelling with the provision of medical and central recreational facilities. Finance will be made available at low rates of interest to encourage the building of 'granny flats' and the conversion of family homes, to enable elderly people to live with their immediate relatives.  5. REHABILITATION OF HANDICAPPED AND DISABLED.  (a) A Rehabilitation Division of the Department of Social Welfare will be established. Its principal functions will be to formulate policy and co-ordinate the efforts of the Health Department, Accident Compensation and Social Welfare Departments, in meeting the needs of the handicapped and disabled.  (b) Special emphasis will be given to supporting the provision of hostels and community complexes for the disabled.  (c) The permanently disabled and handicapped will receive a small invalid allowance to cover incidental study and transport expenses.  (d) Support will be maintained for existing programmes of improving access for the disabled to public buildings and amenities.  6. SOCIAL WORK SERVICES.  (a) STAFF LEVELS. Social Credit will work to improve staff levels and conditions of service for social workers and other caseworkers employed by the Social Welfare Department.  (b) AT RISK CHILDREN. A special emphasis will be given to promoting field staff and district social work programmes to assist families and children at risk.  (c) STUDY AWARDS. Study and travel awards will be made available to professional and voluntary social workers employed by the Department and by private and charitable agencies to enable them to attend in-service training courses and to keep abreast of developments in their field.  SPORT AND RECREATION. Social Credit will reduce Government and direction, protect outdoor recreation areas from damage by huge developments and improve training and coaching facilities, including those at schools. Modern technology and social change has created the potential for more leisure time. Economic reform will emphasise this opportunity and the provision of both education and facilities for recreation will be a prime responsibility for a Social Credit Government. This will require different policies for the two broad categories of sport (Its main feature is that it is organised and competitive to some degree) and recreation (The individual chooses to participate in an activity and may combine with others to promote that activity). The main feature of such policies will be to reduce government control and direction as much as is practicable.  1. SPORT. New Zealand has developed an almost unique approach to sport in that there is almost no professional or government support for individuals, and little for team sports, Despite this, we have developed an international reputation of achievement, and Social Credit will endeavour to support this approach and improve the facilities for training and coaching.  2. SCHOOLS.  (a) FACILITIES. The encouragement of young people into healthy sporting activities will be extended by providing full facilities at high school level.  (b) SPORTS ORGANISATIONS. Existing sports organisations will be asked to provide coaching and advice in both team and individual sports, including the less common individual events such as tennis, fencing and shooting. In return these clubs will have full use of the community facilities supplied at school premises.  (c) SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS. Special Sports Scholarships will be provided for summer school advanced training, when unusual aptitude is shown by young people. These will extend to tertiary institutions where applicable.  3. INTERNATIONAL SPORT. A sportsman or sportswoman who achieves international recognition becomes an ambassador for New Zealand, yet too often the cost of equipment, travel etc. is carried by the individual. This is unjust since we all benefit from the ability of the individual concerned, and we should share the cost as much as possible.  (a) IMPORT DUTIES. Import duty, or other impost on sports equipment and supplies will be deductible for participants who achieve international ranking.  (b) OTHER COSTS. The costs of travel, accommodation, coaching and training will be a deductible expense. Provision for spreading both income and claims over a three-year period will be provided.  4. SPORTS CLUBS. Sports clubs will be eligible to apply for low-cost loans to provide buildings, venues and grounds. Such loans will be long-term and will have an increasing suspensory provision built in.  5. RECREATION. New Zealand is rich in outdoor recreation areas and in the past access has been guaranteed. The continuation of this has been threatened by recent government legislation and by the rash of large developments planned. These pose a real threat to our outdoor recreation facilities.  (a) RESERVE PARK ZONE (See Environment 5). In this zone priority will be given to recreation such as hunting, shooting, fishing, riding, camping, boating, games. The construction of minor roads, tracks, boat ramps, marinas, hotels, hostels, huts, halls, swimming pools, controlled ski runs, playing fields will be a normal feature. A network of walkways will be formed.  (b) HUNTING. Social Credit is sympathetic to the orderly development of hunting, with a view to exporting opossum skins, velvet, venison etc., as an economic method of controlling noxious animals.  (c) TRESPASS. The new trespass act will be decriminalised, and provision made for increased civil penalties, with costs set at an economic level for farmers taking action against wilful acts of damage by trespassers.  (d) AIRCRAFT. The use of aircraft for access will be restricted and limited to defined airways and landing points.  (e) NOISE CONTROL. Noise controls will apply to large areas of natural reserves, and breaches will carry heavy penalties.  (f) FAMILY USE. To promote family use of recreational areas, lodge-type development will be allowed in easily-reached and supervised areas of open terrain close to main roads.  6. DEVELOPMENT. Social Credit supports the work of the acclimatisation societies and similar self-disciplining groups, and will encourage their participation in planning, supervising and protecting our outdoor recreational resources. In particular, the protection of the remaining rivers and wetlands against industrial development will receive support.  7. WILDERNESS AREAS. Areas of native flora and fauna, especially those containing endangered species, will be declared as special sanctuaries and access will be limited by the ability of the area to withstand any human intrusion.  8. MARINE RESERVES. As with lane zones, special areas of foreshore, estuary and island environments, and sea-floor zones, will be declared marine wilderness zones, and access restricted.  9. RECREATIONAL MARINE RESERVES. The upsurge in commercial fishing activities has created a shortage of good recreational facilities for saltwater fishermen and general marine activity. To combat this, large areas adjacent to population centres will be declared marine reserves and commercial or other detrimental practices will be prohibited.  10. GAME ANIMALS.  - Except in critical wilderness zones, the policy on noxious animals will be one of control rather than extermination.  - The list of animals in the noxious category will be subject to review.  - The introduction of any new exotic species (animal, bird or fish) or the exemption of any restricted species from the noxious category will require a supporting environmental report and a public hearing of objections before consideration is glen to the proposal.  11. LEGISLATION. The recreational facilities for New Zealand are a trusteeship that must be conserved for our future generations. Present legislation does not appear competent to protect our heritage against the @@ which seek to exploit the remaining resources @ whatever cost to the future. A Social Credit Government will strengthen the law and then entrench the law. The Crown will be bound by legislation affecting recreational areas.  THE FAMILY. Social Credit holds that the family unit is the single most important factor in promoting a stable community. The family unit is the most important factor in promoting a stable community. Social Credit opposes all practices which undermine its security. We will embark upon immediate and long-term programmes to reverse present harmful pressures and promote wholesome trends.  1. MINIMUM LIVING STANDARD.  (a) We will ensure that no family falls below a basic and guaranteed standard of living for reasons beyond its control. We will give stability to family income by controlling inflation.  (b) A Court of Wage Review will be charged with assessing the nett income required to establish and maintain a family al a reasonable level of comfort, indexed to the cost of living, and with special attention paid to the real cost of child-rearing at various ages.  (c) For policies relating to child welfare and parent education, see Social Welfare.  2. TAX RELIEF  (a) Income will be non-taxable up to the level of the basic social welfare benefits.  (b) For home maintenance there will be tax allowances for the cost of interest charges rates and essential maintenance.  (c) There will be a tax allowance for the cost of travel to and from work.  3. HIRE PURCHASE. Present levels of interest rates on hire purchase items will be sharply reduced, and placed on a day-to-day repayment basis.  4. HOUSEHOLD BUDGETING. Subsidies will be re-established on key items of food and clothing.  5. HOUSING.  (a) Three per cent home loans will be available through the Housing Corporation.  (b) Tax-free, inflation-proofed savings schemes for home ownership will be available through the Post Office Savings Bank and the Trustee Savings Banks (See Housing).  6. HEALTH. Every New Zealand family will have access to a comprehensive and efficient health service at a price they can afford. (See Health).  7. EDUCATION. The promotion of the wholesome family unit and of marriage knowledge will be fostered through stepped-up school and community education programmes. There will be a new emphasis on pre-school and day-care facilities and a closer relationship between home and school.  8. RURAL LIFE. Social Credit agricultural policies will return people to the land. Encouragement will be given for farm purchase and settlement. Regional development policies will create jobs in rural towns, and ensure comprehensive rural services. The development of family life (in its various forms), the dignity and nobility of parenthood, and the concept of caring and sharing, are values we will urgently need as we move towards the twenty-first century.  TOURISM. Our nature as a national asset for the enjoyment of future generations. As an exchange earner, tourism has some particular attributes. It is not subject to the price fluctuations which plague agricultural exports, nor does it have to contend with highly competitive substitutes as do many primary commodities. Encouragement will be given to private enterprise to provide the facilities required by both local and overseas visitors.  1. TOURIST PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT. This Department should be defined by statute as a pro-motional Department, and should be divorced from the business of selling travel so that it can expend its skills and energies in the promotion of New Zealand. Legislation will be passed towards this end, and adequate finance will be provided to ensure that reasonable advertising campaigns are conducted through the appropriate media overseas.  2. NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL AND HOLIDAYS ASSOCIATION. We will continue to recognise this Association as the permanent advisory body to Government, because it is so constituted that it represents the major private enter-prise and organisational concerns in the tourist industry.  3. OVERSEAS LIAISON. We will do everything possible to encourage firm liaison with Australia, Fiji and adjacent areas, in the promotion of the South Pacific, in order to expand our share of the tourist travel which emanates from the jet routes of the Pacific as a whole.  4. SCENIC ATTRACTIONS. New Zealand's scenic attractions must be preserved, and where such attractions are threatened with destruction or impairment by public works or industrial enter-prise, the relative value of the attraction and the enterprise must be the subject of an industry impact report.  5. TOURIST HOTEL CORPORATION. The Tourist Hotel Corporation will continue its role of development and expansion of accommodation in new areas where private enterprise cannot or will not operate. With increased volumes of package tours from vastly increased promotion the Tourist Hotel Corporation establishments will enjoy increased occupancy and higher returns, enabling lower tariffs.  6. INDUSTRY INVESTMENT. Because tourism is a real growth industry with exceptional potentials a foreign exchange earner, development finance will be made available at concessional interest rates, to encourage private development of hotels, resorts, and other tourist complexes. This investment will flow at a rate sufficient to ensure that a 15 per cent growth rate is possible.  7. NATIONAL PARKS. We will continue to develop our National Parks (See Sport and Recreation 5) with a view to improving and expanding the facilities available to both overseas tourists and New Zealanders and their families.  We align ourselves with all sporting organisations opposed to takeovers of our inherited sporting and recreational rights in our national parks.  8. TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA. The free movement of travellers and permanent residents between Australia and New Zealand will be retained.  TRANSPORT. Our aim is to integrate the industry for the overall benefit of the nation. While profitable operation will be encouraged, the social needs of people will be our first concern. Transport is a service industry which forms the largest individual cost item in our economy. It is in recognition of the far-reaching effects that transport has on the economy, on society, and on the environment, and of the close link between transport and the general welfare of the community, that a Social Credit Government will establish a transport policy that will be an integral part of our overall development strategy. Social Credit policy will encourage the profit-able operation of transport, but will always protect the interests of people whose needs exceed the capacity of the industry to make money. In such circumstances the social value of maintaining services will be our first concern and financial support will ensure the continuation of regional and urban services Transport can be categorised by mode (rail, road, air and sea), by ownership (private or public), by function (passenger or freight), and by control (regulation or competitive), and each category has a value in any overall strategy. A Social Credit Government will aim to integrate the transport industry for the overall benefit of the nation.  1. RAIL.  (a) PUBLIC CORPORATION. Social Credit will form the railways into a public corporation with the shareholding distributed among the public, the employees and the road transport operators.  (b) FINANCE. Low-cost finance will be advanced to the Corporation so that a programme of modernisation can proceed rapidly and as much of the work as possible can be undertaken by the Corporation itself.  (c) TRAINING. A programme of trade and technical training will be initiated and emphasis placed on the introduction and training of young people for new technology.  (d) ELECTRIFICATION. A rapid electrification of main lines, the building of new track to provincial centres, and the modernising, of freight handling, processing, and carriage will be priority projects.  2. RAIL PASSENGER. The success of the Wellington urban system has shown that, provided the quality and efficiency of service are reasonable, the public will utilise rail transport. Therefore, a major programme of research into the type and frequency of service needed, and on ways to integrate urban bus and rail systems, and on developing fast, frequent, inner-city services, will be carried out as soon as possible. Rail transport is recognised internationally as having the potential of being the most efficient prime mover of both passengers and freight. The successful use of this potential will assist in stabilising internal costs.  3. ROAD. Road transport has been a vital factor in the development of remote rural areas, and in the increased efficiency of cross-city freight movement. Road units have increased in cost effectiveness at the expense of capital investment in rail transport, and because of the relative low initial costing of both fuel and transport units.  (a) Social Credit now sees the integration of road and rail as the next logical stage of the transport industry.  (b) Road user charges will be abolished, and a straight fuel tax will be used to encourage the preferred short haul-rail link system of freight carriage.  4. ROAD PASSENGER. The three main passenger modes of road carriage are urban, rural, and intercity. The role of the public and private sector in each is clear.  (a) URBAN. The urban system is an essential part of the productive cycle and will be co-ordinated by the local authorities of urban areas; it may consist of both private and public operation.  (b) RURAL. This area of transport is best served by the private sector, with local body support to ensure a comprehensive service is maintained.  (c) INTERCITY. The servicing of rural centres remote from rail links is a natural function of private enterprise, which retains the flexibility to vary services according to seasonal, tourist or other relevant factors.  Support for all sectors will be given by supplying adequate amounts of low-cost capital to maintain and upgrade services.  5. AIR CARRIAGE.  (a) INVESTIGATION. Social Credit policy in the past encouraged the merging of Air New Zealand and N.A.C. in the belief that this would provide economies of scale and rationalisation of services and staff. It has become obvious that the expected benefits have not occurred. An urgent investigation of the present structure will be undertaken with a view to revising the options. (b) OWNERSHIP. Ownership of the prime air services will remain with the public through a corporation, but assistance and encouragement will be given to the development of additional private feeder services and to the continuation of commercial services such as agricultural and freight operations.  6. SHIPPING. Coastal and international shipping has a major role to play in transport and a Social Credit Government will develop the potential of this mode as quickly as is practicable (See Marine). We will actively pursue the 'Iron Bridge' concept for the Picton ferry-rail link, and will reintroduce the Wellington-Lyttleton ferry link. This will be encouraged by a system of differential freight rates to assist both South Island and regional development.  7. FREIGHT SYSTEMS. In the overall integration of freight transport systems, full use will be made of a standardised range of modular demountable containers and pallets that are transferable between the different modes. This will facilitate co-operation between road and rail, each concentrating on the type of haulage to which it is best suited and so promote maximum efficiency.  8. RESEARCH. Transport will be one of 'the terms of reference for the Scientific and Industrial Research Corporation. As an independent body, this will be able to investigate and advise on the continued integration of transport systems, and recommend future changes as they become necessary.  YOUTH. Social Credit wants young people to have a greater say in controlling their own affairs. We will encourage all groups and societies responsible for youth activities. One in five New Zealanders, 20% of our total population are young people in the 15-24 age group.  Unfortunately, Government policy and public attention have focussed on the problem areas of youthful behaviour. There’s no co-ordinated Government policy or structure which promotes a positive youth policy, on a confusion of overlapping departmental programmes responding to specific areas of concern. Social Credit is very keen to see that the enthusiasm and energies of youth are channelled to good purpose. It believes that youth should be encouraged to participate as fully as possible at, all levels of society in ways which are voluntary and democratic. The following principles form the basis of Social Credits youth policy:  - Policies for youth should be developed as much as possible by youth.  - Policies should recognise and encourage a variety of life-style options which reflect the reality of our multicultural society.  - Policies at government level should meet the needs of youth 'at risk' before they get into trouble.  - Policies for youth should be implemented on the basis of an equal partnership between government and voluntary agencies. Much of Social Credit's policies on the Arts, Education, Housing, Industrial Relations, Social Welfare and Sport and Recreation relate to the needs of youth. Listed below are some of the more specific youth policies.  1. YOUTH SPOKESMAN. Social Credit will establish a spokesman for youth in cabinet.  2. CO-ORDINATION OF YOUTH PROGRAMMES. Social Credit will establish a permanent interdepartmental committee on youth affairs, to better co-ordinate all government departments' responsibilities and programmes for youth.  3. TRAINING OF YOUTH WORKERS. As a priority Social Credit will implement, the 1976 interdepartmental working party recommendation for a diploma course in social and community work, and establish short-term refresher and training courses for youth workers in the field.  4. PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE YOUTH WORK AGENCIES.  (a) GRANTS. Social Credit will maintain the existing partnership between the government and local government and a wide variety of uniformed and other national youth agencies and organisations. Capital grants will be maintained, subject to periodic review of the role and effectiveness of these groups in serving, training and reaching out to youth of all backgrounds. Flexibility in funding will be sought to give similar state support to less formal or local organisations which represent or reach the youth of minority ethnic or disadvantaged backgrounds, such as, marae-based groups and Pacific Islands' youth clubs.  (b) COMMERCIAL INITIATIVES. We will support commercial and business initiatives in the preventive youth work programme of private and voluntary agencies.  5. YOUTH AND EMPLOYMENT.  - DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. Social Credit will tackle the problem of youthful unemployment through a job-intensive, regionally-based New Zealand Development Strategy. A diversified programme of liquid fuel self-sufficiency, local processing of primary products, import substitution manufacturing, tourism, and fishing, will absorb much of the labour force now unemployed.  - ALTERNATIVE WORK PATTERNS. Work co-operatives, marae enterprises, and similar alternative employment patterns will be supported.  - COMMUNITY JOB SCHEMES. Volunteer community job-finding schemes will be assisted and encouraged, to supplement the work of the Employment Service of the Department of Labour.  - APPRENTICESHIPS. The apprenticeship system will be reformed with a view to making it more flexible and responsive to apprentices' and employers' needs.  6. YOUTH AND THE LAW. Wider police powers and tougher court penalties for youthful offending are not in themselves any answer to the problems of youth violence and crime. Two-thirds of all prison inmates are already youths aged seventeen to twenty-five.  (a) ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON. Where possible, alternatives to prison will be preferred. Social Credit believes in the use of restitution to injured parties as the basis of criminal justice. If direct restitution is not practicable, Social Credit will ex-tend the present system of community sentencing.  (b) ALTERNATIVE TO DISTRICT COURT. As an alternative to District Court and the Children and Young Persons' Court, minor and preliminary hearings, where appropriate, will be given the option of equivalent proceedings and judgement by Maori elders on the marae, or by recognised Pacific Island leaders at specified community centres.  7. YOUTH AND RECREATION. Innovative programmes, such as the 'detached youth worker scheme' and the 'youth initiatives fund', which have pioneered the work of reaching 'at risk' youth, will be supported.  Local agencies working with such youth will be assisted in providing youth centres in their local communities to be used as drop-in centres etc.  School buildings will be available for use after school and in holiday periods.  8. NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL. The National Youth Council will continue to represent the voice of youth to the government and to participial in planning, researching and implement youth policies. Moves to alter the structure of the Council to draw in organisations which represent Maori and Pacific Islands' youth will be encouraged.  9. VOLUNTARY SERVICE. Social Credit will encourage opportunities for youth to engage in voluntary service at home and abroad, through such schemes as a N.Z. Voluntary Social Service Scheme and Volunteer Service Abroad. New Zealand's active participation in the Commonwealth Youth Programme and the granting of overseas study fellowships to youth leaders and youth workers will be continued.  10. LEADERSHIP. Youth leadership programmes, such as that offered by Outward Bound and the Spirit of Adventure will be made as open as possible to youth of all backgrounds.  11. AGE OF MAJORITY. The age of majority will be lowered from twenty to eighteen.