Debate on Export-Import Corporation Bill ends

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33479, 9 March 1974, Page 2

Debate on Export-Import Corporation Bill ends

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 8.

After battling the Government all w eek on the monetary provisions of the New Zealand Export-Import Corporation Bill, the Opposition switched tactics in Parliament this morning and said that a sum of money set aside in one clause was too small.

Then a few minutes later the Government accepted an Opposition amendment on another clause which the National Party had said it would fight hard. On the first clause, various Opposition speakers said the jsum of $lOOO for “unauthorised expenditure” was unrealistic. Mr K. M. Comber (Nat., I Wellington Central) moved lan amendment that the sum I be increased to $5OOO. Mr B. E. Taiboys (Nat., i Wallace) said $lOOO would ‘“only just cover telephone and soap bills.” The long debate on the committee stages of the bill ended today shortly before ' 12.30 p.m. 25 HOURS , The clause-by-dause consideration of what the Oppo- | sition regarded as a controlversial measure — State enicroachment into private enterprise territory — took 25 hours over the last two weeks and involved 42 diviIsions and 25 Opposition ; amendments. In spite of periodic heated I exchanges the debate ended | on a happy note when the i Leader of the Opposition (Mr Marshall), wished the Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr I Walding), well for his Euro-

pean trip which begins tonight. , Members of Parliament complained about missed breakfasts, no morning newspapers and an unmanned telephone exchange when the House met at 8 a.m. today. It had earlier sat until 12.50 a.m. arguing over whether members should be expected to sit at 8 a.m. INFORMATION During the resumed debate, Mr Taiboys urged that Parliament be kept informed of the Minister’s directions to the corporation. Mr Walding had said earlier that the directions would be tabled in the House, Mr Taiboys said, but. the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr Freer) had suggested it might be preferable for the directions to be printed in the corporation’s annual report to Parliament. Mr Taiboys said neither alternative appeared in the legislation now before the House, and moved that, the: directions should be in the annual report.

Mr Freer, who was standing in for Mr Walding as Minister in charge of the bill, then surprised the Opposition by saying the amendment fitted perfectly and would be accepted. Mr J. B. Gordon (Nat., Clutha) thanked Mr Freer for this action, and asked that if in practice the Minis-

ter would go further and advise interested parties — if not the Opposition, or even the public — of directions as they were made.

SALESMEN Mr Freer said he could not give a blanket assurance. “But I would hope that Parliament is kept fully informed,” he added. “1 presume that would be the procedure.” The Opposition questioned |Mr Walding on the role of ;the corporation’s salesmen, and their relationship to New ’Zealand’s network of overpeas trade commissioners. Mr Taiboys’ said Labour election policy said that “an experienced commercial executive salesman will be appointed to each trade commission for a period not to exceed three years to act as a commercial officer in conjunction with the export-im-port corporation. “This must not happen,” said Mr Taiboys. I It was a question of trader confidence in the trade commissions. This was high at

present but must be eroded if a representative of a competitor was established in the commission office. Mr Walding said salesmen employed by the corporation would be separate and would not be in the employ of trade commissions.

Indeed, international law forebade the attachment of salesmen to a commission, and the salesmen mentioned in the election policy would not sell but would assist all exporters, not just the corporation. to obtain markets.