BUDGET DEBATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 159, 6 July 1940, Page 11

BUDGET DEBATE.

•LAND SENSE' WANTED

SOLDIERS' PAY CRITICISED.

••QUISLINGS" ON THE RIGHT.

# (By 'XVlosr.ipli.—l'arliumentary Ueportcr.)

WELLINGTON, this day

The Budget debate, was continued in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, « hen the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, replied to the comments of Mr. Jnll (Opposition, Waipawa) regarding waterside workers and miners. He defended the new contract system on the \vn t erf rout and said that coal miners had done ,i gre-at deal towards the war effort. He said lie took off his hat both to the waterside workers and the miners. An interesting contribution to the debate was made by Mr. Roy (Opposition. Cluthai, who discussed the importance, of fanning and ways in which the position of the tanners could be improved. A return to "land sense" in New Zealand wan advocated by Mr. Roy. lie did not suggest that the country should revert to the. hard times of the pioneering days, but pointed out that life had apparently become so easy that men were no longer inclined to accept the difficulties and lung hours of farming. He informed the. Minister ot Labour, in reply to his statement, that 2000 men were available for farm work, that the men offered to the farmers in recent years had been so poor that farmers were disinclined to engage them. Farm work, unfortunately, was looked down upon, and as a consequence young men were inclined to drift away from the land. All classes of the community were rising to the occasion at the present time with the exception of a small element, which was holding back and causing trouble.. Ho considered that that section ot the people constituted the real •'fifth columnists'' and action should be taken against them.

Mr. Roy said the general impression he had found among the people, was one of disappointment that there had not been a greater curtailment in the Public Works vote.

It was wrong to infer that the 5 per cent increase in sales tax resulted in a corresponding reduction in the familyman's income, declared Mr. McCombs (Government, Lyttelton). He stressed the exemption from sales tax of foolstuffs. Over 80 per cent of the money spent by a typical worker's family was spent on goods, he said, which were not subject to sales tax. The increase of 5 per cent could not have a great effect on the wage earner.

Referring to the question of sub version, Mr. McC'ombs said that some people were inclined to say that the whole of the subversive activities came from the extre.me left, but there were equally" serious, or more serious, subversive activities from those on the extreme right. It was the "Quislings" who were on the right. It had been suggested that the soldier's pay should be increased. He thought all would like to #ee it larger, but it had to be realised that the New Zealand private soldier was the best paid private soldier in the world to-day and the Government was proud of it.

The House rose at ")..'<o p.m. until 7.30 p.m. next- Tuesday, when another secret session will be held.