MR MAHER ON THE BUDGET

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25902, 7 September 1949, Page 6

MR MAHER ON THE BUDGET

“ Bouquets For Mr

Nash ”

(New Zealand Press Association.) WELLINGTON. September 6.

The loose ends of the Budget were about as numerous as fingers on a centipede, said Mr J. J. Maher (Opposition, Otaki), speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives this evening. “The skies are dark with the Socialist chiakens coming home to roost ”

Years ago he had read a book by Jules Verne entitled “Forty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.” “If Heath Robinson saw this Budget he would recommend the author of it for the Nobel Prize or for the Pulitzer Prize, but if the author could not qualify for either he should have it framed and hung in the academy as a compensation prize.” said Mr Maher. Mr R. M. Algie (Opposition, Remuera): What about having the author hung with it.

Mr Maher said that while he was throwing bouquets at the Minister of Finance the Government was putting the town of Waihi on the dole. There was a pause while Mr Maher consulted his notes, and Dr. A. M. Finlay (Government, North Shore) broke the silence by saying: “Five minutes’ pause for refreshments at Waihi.”

! Mr Mahe*- said that, to cut down ex- ■ periditure. Mr C. W. Boswell and his I party should be brought back from Moscow and Messrs H Barnes and T. | Hill sent there without a return ticket, j ft would pay dividends to have them I causing trouble in that country, but if i they would not go to Russia they * could be sent to the Reserve Bank to | stage a sit-down strike to stop the j printing that was going on there. • Mr Maher said that Labour had ridj den into power on the sufferings of ■ che people. To-day Socialism would j not work because the Socialists would : not work. i There had been international Shy- ; locks in New Zealand buying wool, i which had been sold in the United i States for dollars. Those international ! Shylocks were more clever than the j Minister of Finance in spite of the I controls he had over this country. Mr Maher said that the National Party, when it became the Government. would “give a fair deal to i everyone, but privileges to none.” He did not see the necessity for the 1 war-time tax on tobacco when there i were women to-day who wanted a i “fag.” He would anticipate the Government : olatform for the election: bigger and better monopolies, “more and better i jobs for their pals,” and “more and ■ better strikes.” Mr Maher said he hoped he would I never be a member of a Government ■ that had been praised by a murderer I as a good Government.