NEXT ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 177, 28 July 1934, Page 10

NEXT ELECTION.

BEFORE END OF 1935 ?

PRIME MINISTER'S HOPES

TJAIRY AND MEAT PROBLEMS

<By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

"WELLINGTON, this day.

If the problems now facing New Zealand's primary producing industries ran be satisfactorily dealt with before the end of 1935, the Government, according to a statement made in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, will not stand in the way of a general election being held before the expiration of the extended term of the present Parliament.

jHj "Our term Las been extended for one I year, and it is not a question of discussing extensions for five, 10 or 20 years," ; , eaid Mr. Forbes, in replying to statements made during the debate on the i> measure of the Leader of the Opposi- .} tion, Mr. M. J. Savage, which seeks to I repeal the enactment which postponed the holding of the next general election : until 1935. "In view of the improveh ment which, is apparent in other direcI tions, and the general acceptance of the H Tvork of the Government," added Mr. I 1 IForbes, "we may be able to complete our rehabilitation programme in less I than the one extra year taken for that j; 1 purpose; and if we can accomplish it and meet the wishes of those who want i ■ an earlier general election, very well. I eay to the Labour party that we will do jjj onr vtiy best to meet their wishes and hold a general election even sooner than \\j the end of 1935." Dairy Industry Problems. Tie Prime Minister's indication, however, was prefaced by a long statement H oi the reasons why, in the opinion of j the Ministry, a general election at the ; end of 1934 would not be in the interests I j of the country; and in discussing the Ijj problems still to be tackled, Mr. Forbes , i referred to the prominence of those I affecting the dairying and meat :ndusI tries. It was anticipated, he said, that J j the Dairy Commission would recom- ; mend the passage of legislation dealing j with the dairying industry, and the ift Government would have to deal with i that legislation during the current E session. 1 I Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington! ! I Central): You could pass that legislai tion and then gracefully expire! Mr. Forbes retorted that there would : ; (be a considerable amount of regulation 1 of the industry arising out of the legisj la'tion, although at present he had not I the slightest idea of what line the I recommendations of the commission I would take. However, from indications I given at different conferences there were jt possibilities that a greater improvement Hjj of and more efficiency in the industry I could be secured.' Moreover, there was i|-: the problem facing the meat industry, jl ■ one as serious as that affecting the other j> primary industry. . •■ '-.'•■ Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour, Grey Lynn): I But you are not handling them! Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland I Central): For that reason, the Govern:j ment should go to the country. Action Likely. "Within the next few months," the j Prime Minister continued, "I believe we t will have to take action to meet the J problems I have mentioned/ No other I Government I know of has had to deal ■with such difficult problems, and for the Government, when it is in the midst of tackling these difficulties and intricate I issues, to have before it the fact, of participation in a general election at the end of this year, cannot be '• in the interests of the country." A Labour Member: What the people want is an election. jF The Prime Minister: It is not desirI able to have an upset regarding the I; political situation.

I Mr. Parry: aiio people think so. I The Prime Minister: A certain section j, might think so. I 1 Mr. Parry: The farmers do. "No,* replied Mr. Forbes, "the farI mere are very anxious indeed about their j future. It is different with those who I !have not given a thought to the future 1 of the country or its business. There I is no doubt that the farmers realise I -what a limitation of their market Mr. Parry: Of course they do. They know you led them astray. Quota Menace. iJPZ Pl ! me I ' rmißt ": The men in the industry know that nothing more disastrous and more discouraging than a limitation of their market could be put mto operation in New Zealand. When the market itself says, "That is your limit, the Government has to do its best to make conditions as reasonable and. as equitable as it possibly can. It was asserted by Mr. Forbes that no one at a time like the present would j hold that the men who were responsible for dealing with the economic situation should be displaced by an entirely different set of managers. Such a course would not be followed in any business lie knew of. All the Government had dono was to secure, in a proper manner, through Parliament, an extension for a reasonable period to enable the tasks to be completed, and if the difficulties could be settled, the situation handed over with feelings of security to others, then he, for one, would not stand in (the way of a general election at whatever time it might take place. But, Mr. Forbes insisted, a general election at the end of the present year would not be in the interests of the country; but it I was in the welfare of the Dominion that ', the Government should carry on the work to which its hands were set. Extension Essential. The Prime' Minister recalled that so serious was the economic situation in 1931 that the Government, ' after the formation of the Coalition, had obtained from the electors a free hand to pass, such measures as were necessary. The Labour party had .remained aloof and had done all it could to frighten the electors against the Administration, as well as making all the political capital it could out of the situation. The Government, on the other hand, had not quailed in doing its duty. "We claim," ho added, "that an extension of the life of the present Parliament was absolutely essential fqr the prosecution of our programme and for allowing the full effects ••f our policy to be seen.. The. Labour I'arty, on the other hand, has not come i to tho help of the country at all." ' '■ ' 'v v ,