SOOTHING SYRUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 186, 7 August 1936, Page 9

SOOTHING SYRUP.

GOVERNMENT'S DOSES.

"ONWARD WITH BRAKES OFF."

SPECTRE OF INFLATION.

<By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. . Opening tho Opposition attack on the Budget in the House to-night, Mr. Coates said that ever since the present Government assumed office it had been delivering almost daily doses of soothing syrup to the people. There was an attempt to lull the people into a sense of security. Some form of political anaesthetic had been devised to deaden the pain caused by tlie application of the knife of Socialism. Quoting phrases such as, "We are going upwards and onwards with the brakes off," Mr. Coates said those were .the hopeful messages that had been produced ad infinitum. They appeared day by day and week by week. The country should look at what had been done. The number of unemployed had increased and tho rates had been raised. He had been informed that the number 011 sustenance was seven out of ten in Auckland. Bailway pj-ojects had been resumed which, in his opinion, were of a doubtful character. It was doubtful whether operation costs could be paid, apart altogether from interest on capital expenditure.

Reckless Expenditure. Stating that private enterprise had been restricted in a number of important directions, Mr. Coates declared that the

Government's intention appeared to be

reckless expenditure. It believed there was some form of social credit to arise to get it out of its difficulties. He believed that the Government did not caro whether industry was ruined or not. (Murmurs of dissent from tho Government Benches.).

A burden had been imposed on industry, Mr. Coates proceeded. He, with many others, believed that industry was tho mainstay of employment. The produce of the farmer had been commandeered at a price that did not bear the slightest relation to the law of supply and demand. Rising costs were ignored. The man who produced for the markets of the world was penalised, and before long many would be forced out of business altogether. The Government had declared that costs would not rise, and its reply to such charges was that a magistrate would be appointed to control rising costs.

Flash In Tfie Pan. Was six months' prosperity worth anything to anybody? he aSked. Surely there could be only one view, and that was permanent prosperity. Immediate prosperity was a flash in the pan, and that was the end of it. He believed that in a few months there would be a complete reaction. He hoped it would not be a complete collapse. That was not beyond the bounds of possibility.

Mr. Coates said that the Government had stated that the guaranteed price was to be announced on August 1, but it had been delayed until August 4. The Government had procrastinated. Ho believed the reason was to avoid criticism.

Mr. Coates asked why tho delay in appointing directors to the Bank of New Zealand. The Prime Minister had to bring down legislation to get the Minister of Finance out of difficulty because he had not made the appointments last March. -

Mr. Fraser, Minister of Education Very thin!

Mr. Coates: Thin or not, that is the position.

Continuing, Mr. Coates wanted to know why the Public Service Commissioners had not been appointed. Mr. Fraser: Why did not the last Government make an appointment?

Mr. Coates: The Minister irlust take his gruel. The appointments have not yet been made.