VERBAL SCUFFLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 9

VERBAL SCUFFLE

"WE DONT WAMT TWICERS." MINISTER'S STRONG RETORT. (Br Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. "We are not going to *te*l from the landowner—we are going to pay the pi-ice for his land that he can reasonably expect," declared the Minister of Housing. Mr. Armstrong, in the debate on the Small Farms Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives last evening. Mr. Armstrong's opening remark* developed into & verbal scuffle with the previous speaker, Mr. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn), the Minister declaring with some emphasis that they did not want members partly condemning the bill and partly commending it. Mr. Lee: You want yes-men. Mr. Armstrong: We want yes-or 110-men. "You want yes-men," repeated Mr. Lee. "We don't want twicers," shouted the Minister, at which point the Sjieaker intervened. The Minister said the bill was safeguarded by the fact that it would be administered bv a Labour Government for generations to come. "The only argument that has been used against it is that is the God-given right of the landowner to hold land against any Governmet until such time as he cai: get the price he thiake be is entitled to," added the Minister. "That is the principle underlying the opposition to this bill. We will give soldiers • tenure that will enable them to farm land and live in decency."