A CHANGED MAN

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 66, 19 March 1931, Page 14

A CHANGED MAN

ME. FORBES'S RETURN

OBSERVATIONS AT HOME

• The change of outlook which came over the Prime Minister during his absence at the Imperial Conference was referred. to by the Minister of Native Affairs (Sir Apirana Ngata) in ' the Houso of Representatives last (night, speaking on the second reading of the Finance Bill.

A decision as to what course was to be pursued in dealing with the economic depression, said Sir Apirana, could not be made by tho Cabinet in the absence of the Prime Minister. The responsibility for making and announcing such a decision must rest with the head of the Government, who was away attending to the nation's business in England. "The George Forbes who arrived on the 20th January in Wellington was a very different man from the Prime Miuistcr who left hero on 25th August," he said.

Mr. E. ..T..'Howard (Labour, Christchurch South): "Who had Jie met?"

Sir Apiranrt: "The Prime Minister came back from the other end of the world —the end of the world to which we look for a lead as to the prices for our produce—from Bradford, which fixed the prices of our wool; from Tooley Street, which fixes the prices of our dairy produce."

A Labour voice: "Hear, hear." He had returned, also, said Sir Apirana, from Smithfield, which fixed the price of our meat. . '■ Mr. W. h. Martin (Labour, Raglan): "In their own interests." "NO WORK, NO MONEY." "The Labour Party in England is trying to solve these problems, too," said the Minister amidst United Party "Hear, hears." "The Prime Minister also came back after several weeks' experience in England Under the administration of a Labour Government* which had granted a 'dole' which Was eating like a canker at the vitals of tho nation. It was not surprising that his first announcement was, 'No work, no money. 5 " Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central): "You have no right to call it a 'dole.' " Sir Apirana: "It is what it is called in the papers. I don't think-tho Prime Minister 'is aware of all the implications of the statement he put out,' but immediately foresaw that sooner . or later that slogan would react on the Government, which would have to provide most of the work. However, it is some satisfaction that he had a great revulsion from the conditions ,of unemployment obtaining in England, unemployment, which' was increasing in- u stead of decreasing' under a Government which was returned at the polls for the special'purpose of dealing with unemployment, unemployment which increased instead of decreased under, the Mac Donald Administration." Mr. Forbes came back through Australia on the same boat as the Prime Minister-of Australia, -,Mr. Scullin, and we knew enough of Australia to appreciate their difficulties over there. ,We were watching with great interest the attempt of the Labour, Party in Australia to deal with the present problems.