THE NATION AT WAR

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23882, 26 February 1943, Page 4

THE NATION AT WAR

ADDRESSINREPLY DEBATE

HOUSE ADJOURNS UNTIL WEDNESDAY

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 25. The Address-in-Reply debate was commenced in the House of Representatives to-night, by Mr C. W. Boswell (Labour, Bay of Islands). Galleries and benches of the House itself were fairly well filled for the occasion. Mr Boswell referred to the years of travail which lay behind, but said that the occasion brought forth the men. The Allies had been thrice blessed in theii leaders. He eulogised the New Zealand forces in all the spheres in which they had been engaged, and paid a tribute to the Government’s war effort. In this connexion he referred to the heavy burden of work which had fallen on individual Ministers and paid a special tribute to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) who, he said, had courage, insight, foresight, and ability. He had won the respect of the nation.

Then, too, said Mr Boswell, there were the men and women who had worked on.the farms, in factories, and workshops, and the industrialists, all oi whom were contributing splendidly to the war effort. Defending the Dominion Dealing with the Government’s record since its occupation of the Treasury benches, he said there were some people who were afraid that because the Labour Party had sought peace, it would not be capable of defending the nation in time of war. Actually, when the war came, perhaps no other British Dominion was as well prepared for it as was this Dominion.

■ Mr Boswell then moved the formal motion that a respectful address be sent to the Governor-General in reply to his speech.

Seconding the motion, Miss Mabel Howard, who was making her first speech in the House of Representatives, was greeted with applause from both sides of the chamber, paid; “We are leading the world to-day in social security. I know from practical experience what social security means to the people of this country and I know what it was like in this Dominion both before and after it was placed on the Statute Books.”

Miss Howard said she had, for some time, been chairwoman of a committee dealing with relief in Christchurch. One had to go into the homes of the poor and invalids, as she had, to realise the value of social security and the invalidity pension. It was one of the greatest pieces of legislation that had ever been introduced in New Zealand or, in fact, anywhere in the world. She was proud to be a member of the Government that introduced social security, she said. She did not think i ie social security plan was adequate, i certain respects, even now. There were certain aspects in which it could be improved.

The House rose at 8.50 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday.