ECONOMIC RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1936, Page 9

ECONOMIC RACE.

"PRICES ALWAYS WIN." MR. FORBES' DECLARATION. PLEASANTRIES IN THE HOUSE. (By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)! WELLINGTON, Thursday. Jocular references to the conference of the National party were made in the House of Representatives to-night, during discussion in committee on the short title of the Factories Amendment Bill. The Minister of Labour (Mr. Armstrong) suggested that members of the Opposition were providing entertainment for their delegates in the galleries. , ''I know there are a lot of budding leaders in the new party which has just been formed with the object of getting rid of the Government," Mr. Armstrong said, amidst laughter. The Chairman of Committees (Mr. E. J. Howard): Will the Honourable Minister please come back to the bill. (Renewed laughter.)' The Minister said he would do so, but he could not help being struck by the attitude of members of the Opposition. The Leader of. the Opposition (Mr. Forbes), who was the next speaker, said that all had enjoyed the little spurt of the Minister. "I hope he's not feeling nervous on account of the fact that a conference has been held and some of the delegates might, be present," he added. "I didn't know there were any of them present." Mr. Armstrong: That's the joke of the season. Mr. Forbes said the Minister could not blame the Opposition for unduly prolonging the business of the House. He had not spoken previously on the bill. "That's because you've been speaking at the conference," interjected the Minister. Refluce Value of Money. Mr. Forbes then proceeded to criticise the bill and made the point that it must increase costs and thereby reduce the value of money. It had l>een proved over and over again that in the race between prices and wages prices beat wages every time. He said the Government might find that same law applied in this country and that what it was doing so generously and for which it was getting so much applause from the workers would result in the workers being worse off than they were before. "We would all like to see the worker in the position of the American millionaire," he added, "but we know that's impossible. If we were all millionaires there would be millionaires sweeping the streets. The Minister: They would be more usefully employed doing that. The Minister of Public Works (Mr. Semple) said they had heard the same old arguments that were used when a handful of men in England had tried to put a stop to child labour. "The same old arguments set to the same old tune and sung in the same old way," he added, to the accompaniment of laughter and applause. "They have got a familiar ring about them," said Mr. Semple. "They seem to have re-echoed right down through the corridors of time. 'Up will go prices,' they say." "If the Government Lets Them." An Opposition Member: And so they will. "Yes, if the Government is stupid enough to let them go up," rejoined Mr. Semple; "but the Government is not stupid enough to allow any set of exploiters to take advantage of the amendment of the law by robbing the people." Mr. Forbes asked how industry would be able to bear the increased costs. Mr. Semple: Any industry that can't function and can't give a reasonable livelihood to its employees is better closed. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (National, Waitomo): What about woolpacks? Mr. Semple: I have nothing to do with woolpacks any more than the honourable gentleman. Mr. Broadfoot: I didn't say you did. Mr. Semple: I have seen more sensible things in woolpacks thar. the honourable gentleman. (Uproarious laughter.) All the bill aimed at, said Mr. Semple, was» to give equity and justice. If there were difficulties in the way it was the Government's duty to get over those difficulties. They would be met as they developed and would be dealt with in a rational and reasonable fashion. "The arguments that have been used against this measure," he said, "are not new. They are as old as man himself. They have been used from primeval times against reformers who have tried to do something for the benefit of people. Sometimes I feel that I am developing a bilious attack when listening to themi"