PARLIAMENT Mr Halstead Favours Empire Trade Talks

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 14

PARLIAMENT Mr Halstead Favours Empire Trade Talks

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 26. A Commonwealth conference on trade should be called at an early date, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr E. H. Halstead) in the House of Representatives tonight. He was speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate, which was continued when the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. “I think the spirit of Ottawa could live again if we got together, pooled our resources, and planned for the future,” said Mr Halstead.

Mr Halstead agreed with the proposal of the new Canadian Prime Minister (Mr John Diefenbaker) that a time had come for a new approach on Ottawa. There was the great market represented by the Commonwealth for Britain’s products, as well as the expanding British market for Commonwealth exports. There were seven speakers in the debate tonight, including four Opposition members. Discussion ranged over many subjects, with little attention being paid to the affairs of the New Zealand Packing Corporation. Mr H. Watt (Opposition, Onehunga) said that in disposing of the assets of the New Zealand Packing Corporation the Government had drastically written down the Government valuation of £326,000 to £192,000. Included in the Government’s £415,000 total value was the figure of £120,000, which was the figure offered for the assets years ago. A comparable building to the Fanshawe street building alone would today cost some £250,000. The Government could have leased the building and recovered the proceeds of its sale within a few years. As a result of high costs directly caused by the Government’s policy, New Zealand was unable to compete with her produce on the world markets, said Mr Watt. The Minister of Industries and

Commerce said that the Labour Party advocated bilateral agreements in a world that was moving towards multilateral trade. The present Government believed in buying on the best market and aelling on the best market. The Government still believed in the spirit of Commonwealth trade, although he was sorry to read the statement by the President of the British Board of Trade (Sir David Eccles) that Britain was resisting pressure to take more Commonwealth food. However, he had been heartened by the suggestion of the new Prime Minister of Canada that a time had come for a new approach on the Ottawa Agreement.

Referring to criticism of the valuation of the of the New Zealand Packing Corporation, Mr Halstead said it was an established principle to value on capacity to earn profits. Accountants did not value on asset valuation. The £120,000 was the value of the assets as they did not have any producing capacity. The Government had made a profit of £220,000 from a derelict concern that had only a break-up value. Housewives’ Problems

Miss M. B. Howard (Opposition, Sydenham) said that it was difficult for housewives to budget reasonably nowadays because every shop had a different price, and shops that were allowed to stay open at week-ends charged whatever they liked. “They put a penny on everything,” she said. “It is the sort of thing that has been going on since the Government brought in its amendment to the Shops and Offices Act.”

Miss Howard said that rises in the price of sugar had been made an excuse for rises in the prices of other commodities, whether they contained sugar or not. She cited an increase in the price ol meat pies for which an increase in the price of sugar had been given as an excuse. And why should egg producers be urged to limit production in order to maintain the price? she asked. If the production of eggs

was to go to its full extent, she was sure that the people would eat the eggs. The Minister for Social Welfare (Dame Hilda Ross) said that care of the aged was one thing that the present Government could take great credit for. Dame Hilda Ross said the public was taking an increasing interest in child welfare work. The public was making a wider use of the services available. Cases had increased in 10 years from 10.000 to 20.000. there being an increase of 4000 last year. This was not because children were more troublesome or that more of them were in trouble, but simply because the services were better known.

Mr R. Macdonald (Opposition. Ponsonby) said he did not intend to talk about the affairs of the New Zealand Packing Corporation. ‘T understand the press have been told to close down on it,” he said. Mr Macdonald said the House was not properly informed of the Government’s decisions. Usually Opposition members read about them in the papers. Ministers should come into the House with their proposals and programmes so that members could judge them. Local Body Loans

Speaking of loan finance for local bodies, Mr Macdonald said that if the country could afford £155.000.000 for defence, then it should be able to find the money needed for amenities in the cities.

Mr J. H. George (Government. Central Otago) said there was need for an investigation into the “disturbing” fact that 102,000 persons had failed to vote in the last election. These persons seemed to disregard the great sacrifices that had been made to gain and maintain the right to vote. Mr J. Mathison (Opposition. Avon) was speaking when the adjournment was taken.