PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 10 July 1929, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

j HOUSE OF REPRESENT A- | j TIYES. j j . ! I ADDRESS IN REPLY DEBATE, j i . t j fr«M AfscctATioa i«LMn4jc.) I ■ WELLINGTON", July 9. j ' The House of Representative* met I this afternoon. Petitions were road j ; praying for resumption of work on the j . Taupo railway, and for araendm*ut of ! : the Gaining Act. j Mr E. J. Howard (Chris-.eLurth j South) gave notice of hij intention to introduce the Worker*' Compensation I | Amendment Bill. Mr W. J. Jordan (Manukau"* gave j notice of hia intention to introdue« the I Compulsorv Military Service Bepeai | Bill. Tha following Bills were introduced j ! and read a first time: The Gisborne j I Harbour Board Amendment BUI (.Mr | j K. S. Williams, for • Mr Lyinar), the \ Bluff Harbour Board Empowering Bill j (the Hon. Mr do la Perreilc ~ the | I Offenders' Probation Amendment Bill i (Mr H. G. R. Mason), the Workers' ; Annual Leave Bill (Mr I>. G. Sullivan). Debate Resumed. Continuing the debate on the Ad-dress-in-R<p!y motion, Mr 11. 11. Jenkins (Parnelb, who was given leave to conclude his speech, interrupted by the adjournment the previous sitting day, said that shorter hour* had been suggested as a remedy for unemployment. He contended that if this step wcro carried out New Zealand would be unable to compete with other countries in the world market. The remedy he favoured was land settlement. He considered that the m.in on the land wa* entitled to greater honour than he had j been given in the past. The name "Cockie" should be abolished, and j farmers' claims should be considered in reference to knighthoods and similar ; honours. In reference to the tariff, he aaid he was in favour of free trade within the Empire. Although he was of opinion that railways had no chance of competing successfully against, a concrete or well-maintained road, he would vote with tne Government if any railways question came to a division, j The South Island Main Trunk was the only line he would support if he supported any. It should be supported be- ' cause of its national and military I aspect. A Plea for Railways. > „rfr A. W. Hall (Hauraki), who followed, said it was not fair that people who lived in suburban districts where there were empty houses should be prevented from getting advances for homes. He considered the suggestion that there should be free trade within the Empire was not practicable at the present time. Referring to competition between motors and railways, he aaid the railways should be supported as far as possible because of their work in aiding development. They carried many heavy agricultural loads that could not be transported economically by motors. He said there was a rumour that the Government intended reducing heavy traffic motor fees. If this were so there would be a good deal of opposition raised by local bodies and others, and he hoped the step would not be taken. After criticising what be considered anomalies in local bodies legislation, Mr Hall referred to the United Party's projected legislation, | and while referring to its intention to j avoid State interference in business he i was interrupted frequently until Mr ! Speaker rose and requested member* to observe the rules of debate.

Mr Hall, continuing, paid the Government, by stopping the Taupo railway work, had dealt a serious blow to land settlement. The cost of transport of fertilisers by railway would have b*en considerably cheaper than by motor, lie the spending of leas money on relief work in the cities, aad more money on such works devoted to ODening up the land in the country districts. Government's "Moral Courage. *' Mr F. Lye (Waikato), in the eourae of his opening remarks, said each of the three Parties in the House to-day had a definite responsibility in relation to '■ the legislation of the session. He con- j aidered that want of confidence ia the | late Administration had been largely j responsible for the present stagnation in industry, and in his opinion this state of feeling had been initiated with the failure of the Dairy Control Board, which, instead of benefiting the trade, had antagonised its best friends in the Old Country. Other causes of stagnation in industry were failure to reduce the bask rate, and excessive stamp duty and exchange charges on cheques. The overhead charges of business were too heavy. Mr Lye then referred to trade unionism. He said he wished to make it clear that he favoured a minimum wage and the arbitration system, but he considered there should be more provision for payment by results. He urged that the State Advances Department should undertake to assist in financing settlers endeavouring to develop pumice land, and, as a further step in land development, he suggested that the Government should provide legislation to assist men wishing to develop unused Crown and Native lands. He bad little confidence in the Lands Department as far ae the Departmental heads were concerned. The whole system of land settlement should not be held up because of mistakes in the past. He recommended the desirability of the Government appointing i two Trade Commissioners for Canada, and two for the United States. The tendency in the past had been to leave the development' of our markets to private enterprise, but that was not sufficient. There was plenty of money in America, and the State should take steps to stimulate a demand for New Zealand goods, and to increase th* tour- i ist traffic. On the subject of taxation, he saw he was not in favour of small farmers paying income-tax as well as land tax, but any farmer earning above £750 per vear should be thankful that he was in a position to pay both There was need for revision in the direction of taxation of "large squatters." j He was convinced there was no justification for the decision to const met the Taupo railway. He could not see prospects of any large freight for a few year* anyway, and he was gkd he present Prime Minister had the moral courage to decide not to proceed with the work. In regard to the *«**- tion of work on the Patoerston deviation, too, the whole of tablet • bad gone into the matter, and while realising that "it had everything to lose by 8 deciding to stop the woik, . it had had the moral eourage to do what it considered best in the interests of the , In conclusion he appealed for P**}** j activitv on the part of the Agricultural j Department in combating menaces W> , stock and crops.

Expenae of Change of CtoTenautntMr A Hamilton (Wallace; aaid the coantrv was not bo much concerned with the raising of the seventy million! loan M it was with lending that money at 4» per oent. There was plenty of money in New Zealand. It was not » e*»e of getting money, but of getting it at 4J pe- cent. He"considered that one of the principal virtues of the bank of Now Zealand waa that it was completely frea from political influence. He eommt-ndad the late Minister for Finance for not having tried to dictate t« it in ref-r----eaee to the hank rate and other matter!, and ho hoped the prwent j^^g

poßey. He •agfeet** 1 feat bate* tfcn farmer should be taxed fmrtnea-. m» ■a odd be restored vo eeonenm with other eeetion* of the eesnmmmiCy. He would the* be in £avo*r of •buying the farmer b«ta land aud ir.eom*Ui Mr Hamilton provoked laughter tram the United beaeaes, aad tappers freen Be form era. when he- claimed that aad Mr Pownie Stewart continue i as Minister for Finance, there would have been no deceit at the end cf the Ssaseial year. He aaid the. eaaage ef ®©rcrnnunt had coat the country two million pounds. Howerer. mow that rt»e Uaited Party occupied ta* timaao benches, Reform weuld give it euppo-t a« outlined by the Leader of the Opposition. Voices: Eight or wrong f Mr Hamilton: No, otlr whan Th*v are right. My ad rice it, do not d« U' thing if it is only betssve c* aa el«*<*tioc promlat". In conclusion, Mr Hamilton claimed that legislation paeeed during tne Heform Party's tenure of eftee had tee>4 ed to combat land aggregation. The Labour Laader. The galleries were prarueally Hied when Mr IL E. Holland (Leal ex of tW Labour Party! roae to continue tt.«debate. He said he hoped Uo remark* <.f Mr Muuas, concerning apprentic. - ship, did not indicate that the Govern ment intended to flood the market with boy labour. In regard to the 8a**o«B queation, he said the Government wosW some day realise that it couki not rot a Samoans with a "big stick*' peHry. There would be no settlement of tne trouble there till deportation order* were recalled, ai'sd the Native* wer.» given a voice in the Government of their country. Any promise* in the latter respect that hid been made ia the pn« had been broken. The Native* *>»'* beta promised representation in tk* Legislative Council, but alter tne eieetion, the Government had deported! men who had topped the poll, and had jivee. office to others.

The Labour Party would sappori or oppose tbe Government, according t»< tbc nature ef legislation proposed. To** problem that was most outstanding today was uaensj loyment, aad Hit Laooar Party had taken the opportunity of stating its views on the subject during the Imprest Scpply debate, when any criticism of the Government could net W treated in the Mine light *• during th« Address-in-Beply debate. Land aggregation and spocnlatioa m Land were itenu to which the Oovernment had stated it would give attention, and he was anxious to sec what st*ps it proposed to take to deal with taeo* evils. Taxattoa. Mr Holland criticised borrowi»g from Loudon when milliona of idle a»»a*y was available in the Dominion, and ia this respect he said there «ai a coop of cause and effect im idle mmtj and idle men. Ik asserted that there were many men in this country who received annual incomes ranging frosa tSB&t to £IO.OOO, and sometimes who were not paying a penny in iaeome taxCertainly they were paying land tax. but they at ill had these large fawwaw. and should still be called on te psy income tax, which would omly constitute their fair share. The average »m:*U fanner would be glad to be im • pooi tion when he could be called oa to pay both taxes. (Hear, hear freea the Waited benches.'<

Mr Holland next referred to edaeation, which he said should ;■.■ dv»ij>**d to fit the child for the occupation which he or she intended to adopt, aad if the Minister for Education frr-mrl hi* legislation on those Hues He <•»<..<. rely on the support of the Labour Party. He referred briefly to railways, saying that the United Party had gome to the country and pledged 'itself to eertaia principles. Now that it had boon returned with a majority, it in ia aoaour bound to try to bring tiiis poi. into effect. It should bring forward its legislation oa these lines, aad if that were thrown out the Party should tkwn go to the country aad ash for a asaadate. (United members: Hear, hear, that's what we shall do.) Parliameat, he continued, should be given aa opportunity immediately to undertake the work of reconstruction, aad restoration of roads, following the eartbifsmke disaster. Although New Zealand was faced with a deficit, and also waa faced with this diaastrc. it waa a eons* -y of infinite resource, aad he waa oanfident that it would rise triumphantly above these obstacles. The disaster would cost at least a million sterling, but it would be faced with spirit. In repeating hi* appeal (reported elsewhere) "That the pxaaemt aimless debate be brought to a close," he said the Minister for Labour had amid that much of the legislatiea was now ready, and he hoped it would at oace be brought forward. Ob Fatty Taetham, Mr T. W. McDonald (Wairanao.) said it waa his opiaion that the Laadrr of the Opposition had not moved aa amendment to the Addreaa-ia-lefly motion because he believed H la the best interest* of hli Party mat to do so. Had he thought such a step was called for, he should have moved the amendment. The Befora Party wo*M be decimated if there were aaotfcer elee-.uu now. (Reform laagfc*er.) In regard to railwavi the Leader of the Opposition was "sitting on the political fence.'' He would not say one thing or another, but waf waiting to see what best met Party exigencies. The Reform Government had been reduced to its present state because it hgd abandoned legislation by constitutional means, aad had substituted government 1 " in-Council and by the heads of Depnrt-

nient.6. ~ , Mr MfiDonaM, eo*«iadi«g, nuegm that the poliev of the Kafom Government hid been to tax the amaH «■*■- er and relieve the large laadfc*M«*> It waa the former who had tmrmmi U*» out. The present GoTerameat MM' ed to solve the problem of laM —***«; meat, and as the hif ItilWtef *•«* not dispoie of their holding at warn —- able prieee, it behoved the Gwrmrnment to introduce logialntion to •»»- pel them to do m. Land •ettlement. Mr C. E. UacMitlan (Taamafln) «** it was quit* woaff to *y t**t t** >fform Pirtv had had no land policy. Ho detailed the step* it had taken in that direetlon, and hj« angfontoi *■** in some reapeets it ahould he pwawtd bv the new GovenuMßt, efpeciaßjr *n relation to drainage ® f **** eettled. H* also advocated more iattautn ««<nMfment of land adjoiaimf oWil«l----way*, in preference to th» opening «}> of land reqtdxiaf the eaaotnMttn* of new railwavt. He did not tfcbfc th* South lalaad" Main Trnak tailway wwnld pay, and in riew o£ the det-nlepaaent of thf imteraaT eomlmalion onfin*, k* considered that any Government naonVc hesitate before expending a latfe amooni of public money on any rail war He urged the 6tnm«t to take all poemble ttopa U>jmvwm*M*y repetition of the «rploH«t*nm in «*•** phatw wMeh femd be*n !*•▼*■*•# hj? the Be form Party. The deb at" w adjonrmod •* «** motion of 'Mr J- S. Fletenat, **d tk* Hooae roae at 11 p.•»-