"FEELING OF DEEP UNREST"

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22466, 29 July 1938, Page 12

"FEELING OF DEEP UNREST"

Mr Forbes Discusses Political Trends REPORTED UNEASINESS AT BUDGET EXPENDITURE [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] i WELLINGTON, July 28. A charge that the Government was so preoccupied with self-praise and with abuse of the Opposition that it did not realise the feeling of deep unrest in the country was made by the Hon. Q. W. Forbes (National, Hurunui) during the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Forbes said that the huge Budget expenditure was making the electorate uneasy, and was losing the Government support on all sides. The Budget was the last that would be presented to this Parliament, said Mr Forbes, and looking back over three years of Lat -i;_' administration he could not help b~mg struck forcibly with the vast change in the spirit of the House. He had seen Governments in power before with huge majorities, but he had never seen a Government of which the members so sparingly used their privilege of criticism, A party with so large a majority need no fear criticism: but the proceedings of Parliament had bjen a stream of praise from Government members for the Government, and a stream of abuse for the Opposition He did not know whether it was a rule of the Labour Party thai criticism was not allowed, but the change from the earlier practice was certainly not a change for the better. Mr Speaker: There is no suggestion of a breach of the rules of Parliament. is there? Mr Forbes: I intended to make no criticism whatever of your able control of the House, sir. I am pointing out that members have allowed it to happen. Need for Criticism Ministers must feel the need very often for some criticism, said Mr Forbes. Without it, they were not able tc judge the feeling of the country towards their activities in the House, and could have no idea of how their policy was being received. "It is obvious that some, at least, of them do not realise what the feeling is outside the House," said Mr Forbes. "They think that by bringing down a Budget of staggering expenditure they will have the whole country with them, but this is not so. Going round the country I find many evidences of it. The expenditure of Government money naturally helps in elections. It hj; been looked upon as a certainty in the past. To-day. with expenditure unparelleled in the history of the country, one would think that everybody would be praising the Government, but many members know that they are not. The people of New Zealand are too intelligent. They look at the other side. and ask if this small country can stand it. They realise that they will have to pay ev -tually for the liberality of the present Government. Mr J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn): You are meeting your owr people. Mr Forbes: Perhaps. lam also meeting many of • our own people, who voted for Labour last time: but are our own people now. The country was very anxious about the future. Mr Forbes continued. The Budget this year was one of staggering totals, and was not reassuring to the people. Expenditure last year amounted to £48,000.000, an enormous amount for one year: but it was found that for the present year expenditure would amount to £59.500.000. He had put to many audiences the question whether the country could afford to spend at the rate of £50.000,000 a year, and whether ft was wise administration to try to do it. He had not found anyone, whether a Labour man or not. who would say that the country could carry on without feeling serious consequences. "Some of the members of the Gov- | emment must surely have a feeling of responsibility," said Mr Forbes. "They can't all be dragooned. Some must have the feeling in their minds that they can't do it." National Party Organisation The Government, said Mr Forbes, claimed that it was going back into power after the next election with a larger majority than ever; but the thing that had amazed him was the spontaneous organisation throughout the country in the interests of the National Party. He had never known before of people coming forward and willingly taking upon themselves the task of organising for an election so long before an election was to be held ! Branches of the National Party "were being formed all over the country and were, strong in many labour constituencies. Labour members apparently did not know of this organisation; but it showed in a remarkable way the change that had come over the public mind.

"It is not a comforting feeling when the swing is against the Government," said Mr Forbes. "It was not last time; but this time there will be no votesplitting, and besides there is this huge organisation which has sprung up. 1 have never known people as stirred as they are at present, and the reason is their grave anxiety for the future. I Would not have objected to a Labour Government if it had been content to proceed • reasonably. I have frequently admired the energy with which it has carried on its activities; but I do object to its wild disregard of the future of the country. The future for young people is very black indeed."