"OUT-HERODED."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 7 October 1936, Page 10

"OUT-HERODED."

MR. COATES CRITICAL. TARIFF BOARD SUGGESTION. INCREASE IN COSTS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Speaking in the second reading debate on the Industrial Efficiency Bill in the House of Representatives to-day, Mr. Coates (National, Kaipar#,) said the measure went much further than the powers contained in the Board of Trade Act. As a matter of fact, nobody knew how far the bill did go. No such system as was" proposed in the measure could possibly work, and the results would be increased costs and inefficiency, and the public would not be served in anything like the manner they were served at present. . The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan 1 had taken predit to himself because of what he had done with the wheat and bread industry, but the only real result had been to raise the price 'of bread.

: The manufacturers, said Mr. Coates. were entitled to ask for what they liked and they were entitled to be listened to, but he would like to ask the manufacturers if they were satisfied with the bill as it was drafted. a The Minister: They want a greater say in any plan that is devised, and I think they are entitled to consideration on that point. In all other respects they are satisfied. Mr, Coates: I have been told that the Minister told the manufacturers that if they did not like the bill he would socialise every industry in the country. The' Minister: You can accept my word that I did not say anything of the kind. What I did say to the manufacturers /was that if they did not want the bill that would be tlie end of it.

Close Corporation. Mr. Coates asked if the bill did not nrovide a pretty close corporation so far as the manufacturers were concerned. Was it suggested that everybody in the country was in need ot wet-nursing? "The bill we have before us to-day out Herods Herod." said Mr. Coates. "It was never conceived by the manufacturers that a bill of this kind would ever make its appearance. Does not the bill really mean that we are going to have a Tariff Board in this country?" The Minister: The bureau acts in an advisory capacity. Mr. Coates: The progress that, has been made in this country and in every other country _ has not_,been achieved because of Government action, but on account of private' enterprise.' Private enterprise has been the driving force. What he would like to have would be the Government's policy for dealing with the increase in costs. Hid the Government have in mind "some idea of regulating imports., or did the Prime Minister think that the easiest way was to increase the exchange rate even further?