POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20316, 15 August 1931, Page 14

POLITICAL NOTES

' i' j iT'iiuic Our Paomasuextart Kbpoiiteu.j ; ; WELLINGTON, August 14. j I Further Economy Urged. ! The need for the introduction of more j searching economies, particularly in the | expenditure of the Government itself, j was urged by Mr W.. P. Endean (8., | Parnell) in the House to-day. He, said j there was no doubt the Government had | to get right back to bedrock with an ! efficient and exacting plan of economy. It had to start right in the House and ; in the Ministers' own Departments, i "It was ridiculous," he said, "to find the Ministry spending £IO,OOO a year more than under the Beform Ministry. When a Minister had to send a telegram, ride in a motor-car or in a train, he should ask himself, 'Am I spending Is or Cd more than I should?' This may sound trivial, but if we started in that way and went through all the Departments effecting economies in that way, tho aggregate saving would be very considerable. I am a newcomer here, but I would like to browse around some of the Departments and I am sure I would be able to show instances of wastefulness that would make members' hair stand on end. We must insist upon the most rigorous economy in all Government Departments." Cost of Belief "Work. Tho attention of the Government is drawn by Mr T. D. Burnett (R., Temuka) to the tremendous cost of relief Work, and in a question directed to the Minister for Labour he echoes the sentiments of the Ashburton County Council in expressing alarm at the productive power now being wasted. "Unless some remedy is found for employing men on reproductive work," Mr Burnett said, "all the relief schemes must break down under their own weight. At present farm labourers and rural workers are drifting to the towns and cities to obtain relief work, while farmers are endeavouring to work their farms single handed. Secondary industries are languishing, and man;/ of the employees are out of work." Foreign Shipping. "If foreign nations wish to come and trade in New Zealand they should be permitted to do so only on an equal footing with British-owned vessels," said Mr AV. P. Endean (8., Parnell), in the House, referring to the entry of the Matson Line into New Zealand trade. He referred also to Swedish motorvessels trading to the Dominion. These ships carried three stewardesses, who. 'carried out the whole of the work in the cabins and dining saloon for the munificent sum of £4O per year, while the Union Company stewards received £144 per year. "How was British ship : piug going to compete with that sort of thing," he asked. The Hon. «?. B. Donald: How do you suggest that Ave could stop ttiat vessel running from San Francisco to New Zealand® Mr Endean: Prevent her trading between New Zealand ports. Mr Donald: These vessels do not trade between our ports: Mr Endean: I know this vessel went j from Auckland to New Plymouth via Wellington, j Mr Donald: You cannot prevent that, j Mr Endean: Why not? There is the | power. j Mr Donald: We have no such power, j Mr Endean: The Government could ] soon get power. The House would grant ! it. The Statute of Westminster allows i Now Zealand to make laws to deal-with | the matter without Great Britain's sanction. ! Mr Donald: The International Board of Shipping would not sanction it. Mr Endean: We would soon see about that. Under the Statute of Westminster wo will be able to pass any laws -we like to operate in New Zealand and the consent of Great Britain will not bo necessary. Russian Butter. The fear of Russian butter undermining New Zealand's position on the London market, which was aroused by recent consignments of butter from Siberia to England in packages similar to those used for New Zealand produce, j has been allayed to some extent by the following cablegram which has been received by the Hon. A. J. Murdoch from the High Commissioner:— "With regard to your enquiry of August 4th, the packages used for Russian butter arc the same as used for many years. There has been no recent alteration. The shape of the boxes is similar to ours, but the marking bears no similarity, has no grade marks, and states clearly that the butter is a Russian product." The Fusion Offer. A National Government would result in a hopeless mess, declared Mr W. P. Endean in the House to-day. A National Cabinet consisting of four United, four Reformers, three Labour members,, and one Independent would make a queer admixture of political views that would get the ship of State nowhere. . Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab, Napier): On the rocks. Mr Endean: Yes. Any attempt to obliterate the Conservative Party would be a national calamity. It was the one Part}' that had shown consideration for the country and governed it wisely. It was a Party, the country could rely upon, and it represented all shades of political opinion. A good opposition was very necessary to keep the Government in its place. "This talk of fusion," he added, "is not sincere. The United Party is running around the country and getting old, disgruntled Reform people to stand for them." Earthquake Relief. A total of £.i71,b!)8 has been, spent from the Hawke's Bay Earthquake Fund to date according to figures quoted by Mr A.. E. Jull, a member of the Central Committee, in the House to-day, when ' he gave the information which the Government had been pressed to give for some time. Quoting in detail the various disbursements up to the .end of last mouth, Mr Jull said at the end of July public subscriptions totalled £385,133, and this amount having been deposited with the Public Trustee, it had earned £SBOO in interest. The following payments from the funds had been made:— £' Food, clothing, sustenance. and general relief .. 80,209 Repairs to dwellings .. 82.097 Maori relief .. .. 4,850 Sundry special funds paid out in accordance to instruc:. tions from the donors .. Grants for losses of personal effects .. .. 460 Transport of refugees by other than Government services 1.411 Sundries .. ~ . 62 This left a balance in hand of £219,535. Various commitments had ' already been mado. Repairs to houses 1 would absorb a large amount, and com--1 mitments in this respect not vet paid 1 totalled £55,775. In addition there ; would be heavy claims for reimburse- ■ ment by owners who carried out their • own repairs. Claims wero due on July 1 I 31st, but the total number made was j not yet known nor waa the total nurn-

ber of claims made for assistance regarding personal losses yet known. It would be necessary to set aside a special fund from "which to make permanent provision in necessitous cases for persons incapacitated in the earthquake and for persons who were dependent upon victims- of. the disaster.