PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 17, 14 October 1933, Page 8

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

World Economic and Monetary Conference

INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS DEBATED

Important Government Legislation to Come Next Week

More views on the work of the recent World Economic and Monetary Conference were expressed in the. House ot Repiesentatives yesterday, when the debate was continued on he report presented by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Foibes. Ihe discussion was interrupted by the arrival of the hour for the weekend adjournment late in the afternoon, and unless there iai desire on the part of members for another day’s discussion is is not likely f ° b the morning there appeared to be very little interest in the debate, and more than once the formal motion to bring it to an end was almost put by Mr. Speaker, frequently there were few more members in the Chamber than the quorum of twenty. When the House resumed after the luncheon adjournment the debate appeared to take a new lease of life, and from then on to the end of the sitting there was no shortage of speakers. Seen after the House had adjourned, the Prime Minister indicated that consideration would be given on Tuesday to the several Government Bills on the Order Paper. These Bills have already had a second reading, leaving only the committee and final stages to be dealt with. If nothing intervenes private members Bills, of which there are a number, will be taken on Wednesday. It now seems almost certain that two of the most important Bills of the session, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bill and the Companies Amendment Bill, will make their appearance next week. The final draft of the Reserve Bank Bill will be discussed with representatives of the Associated Banks on Monday, and the Minister of Finance, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, hopes to be able to reintroduce it by Wednesday at the latest. The final draft of the Companies Bill will be considered by Cabinet to-day.

THE CONFERENCE

REFUSAL TO MOVE Mr. D. McDougall’s Seat ATTITUDE TO MINISTRY Brisk Exchanges in House A suggestion that in view of his attitude toward the Government Mr. D. McDougall (Mataura) should move from his present seat at the back of the Ministerial benches was made by Mr. F. Lve (Govt., Waikato), when the report on the World Economic and Monetary Conference .was under discussion in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. McDougall said he refused to move his seat for Mr. Lye or any member of the Cabinet, and would only do so if requested by Mr, Speaker. Mr. McDougall was discussing the attitude of the Minister of Lands, Hop. E. A. Ransom, concerning settlers in arrears, when he was interrupted by the deputy-Speaker, Mr. S. G. Smith, who said: “Is the honourable gentleman dealing with the report?” Mr. McDougall: Yes; I am dealing with the Minister of Lauds. I would like to ask him this: It is some considerable time since the Government bought the Galatea Estate. I have been all over it

Discussion on Report

COMPLEX PROBLEMS Raising of Price Levels The debate on the report of the World Economic and Monetary Conference was continued in the House of Representatives yesterday. The first speaker was the Hon. A. D. McLeod (Govt., Wairarapa), who said the difficulties throughout the world to-day were such that it was foolish for anyone to be certain on any point at all. He felt that everyone was entitled to his opinion if it were honestly held. Mr. McLeod said he had endeavoured to study the position from the point of view of the raising of price levels, and in this connection he thought there was a great deal of confusion in regard to what was meant by that term, particularly wholesale price levels. Practic-

ally the whole world was united in try- ' ing to raise the price levels of what might be termed farm primary products. Perhaps they'used the term primary products in this country and elsewhere rather loosely. When men in the Dominion referred to primary products they generally meant farm primary products. Undoubtedly, farm primary products were the mainaspring and basis of the economic position. Responsibility of Government. “I do not question the holding of different viewpoints,” said Mr. McLeod, “but I do feel that we should support as far as possible—and I at least am prepared to do so—the men who have accepted the responsibility of governing this country for the time being. I know that we all cannot absolutely agree on every point, but on the great majority of points we can agree as to the best policy, or the best lines or the most helpful lines to follow. I am not in a position to criticise, nor am I going to criticise others who hold different opinions, but there is a necessity to get on with the job as quickly as possible, and I am here to help where I possibly can to get on with that job. Root of the Problem. Mr. R. McKeen (Lab., Wellington South) said he had never read a more dreary dirge of old musty shibboleths than the Prime Minister’s report on the World Conference. One of the first questions to tackle was that of banking, for after all it was the root of the whole problem. The productive capacity of the Dominion could be increased by 75 per cent. It was not the fault of the delegates that the conference had failed. The whole situation had been in the hands of the international bankers who were conferring at the same time. The disequilibrium between the production of goods and the consumption of goods was on the consumers’ side, and until the position was rectified the misery of unemployment and poverty would continue to be present. The Prime Minister had talked about issuing cheap money for the raising of prices, but credit was being issued at 1-8 per cent, in America to-day. They could talk about issuing credit until the crack of doom, but until the people had the purchasing power there would be no alleviation of their plight. The evils from which the people were suffering were due to the policy of deflation. The deflationary policy doubled the burden of fixed charges, and so long as the monetary system was in the hands of private individuals there would be slumps and booms. It was essential that New Zealand should attend to her Internal economy and raise the standard of living within the Dominion.

Mr. Smith: The honourable gentleman must speak to the report. Mr. McDougall: I must keep on the report. I hope you are not getting hot under the collar.

Mr. Smith: Order! Order! Mr. McDougall went on to say that the Minister of Lands had denied that' the Government was responsible, for forcing down the standard of living. “The Government was responsible,” he declared, “and I am sorry to say that I was one of those who helped to ,cut down wages and put more taxation on the workers. We have had to tax the worker to give him a job. We have been making tlte poor man poorer and the rich man richer. I am very sorry 1 wasn’t kicked out of the establishment long ago. Well, I’m out now, and I am glad of it.”

Mr. Lye: Then you ought to sit somewhere else.

Mr. McDougall :■ I’ll sit where I like. I understand the Speaker has the allotting of seats in this House. Mr. Smith: Order! Order!

Mr. McDougall (pointing to Mr. Lye) : Then you shut him up. He interjects, and when I reply 1 am called to order.

Mr. Smith: Order! Order! Mr. McDougall: I ought to sit somewhere else? I ought to be sitting where the Speaker is.. I believe I would do better.

Mr. Smith: Order! I will have to ask the honourable gentleman to resume his seat. Mr. Lye, who was the next speaker, said it was wrong for Mr. McDougall to sit. behind the Ministry, and every time he spoke stab the Government in the back. Common decency demanded that Mr. McDougall should shift his seat.

Mr, McDougall: 1 am not going to. "Common decency demands that the member for Mataura should move into more congenial company,” added Mr. Lye. "He does not like the company on this side of the House. He vigorously opposes the Government at every opportunity, and it does not occur to him that his place is somewhere else.” Mr. McDougall: Would it please you if I went up on the roof? Mr. Lye: It would please me better if you fell off the roof. (Laughter.) By this time Mr. Speaker had resumed the chair, and rising to a point of order at the conclusion of Mr. Lye’s speech, Mr. McDougall said he understood that the Spec’--— allocated the seats in the chamber to the various members. If Mr. Speaker said he was to move he would do so, but he did not intend to shift from his present seat for Mr. Lye or any member of the Ministry. Tlie Speaker, Sir Charles Statham, explained that seats were arranged among members themselves. Naturally the Government occupied the front benches on the right of the chair, and the Opposition those on his left. If any dispute arose, however, he would then decide.

Opposition to tlie Quota.

Mr. AV. J. Polson (Govt., Stratford) said that Mr. T. Baxter had assumed the way was clear for a discussion on quotas, and on arrival in New Zealand was surprised at the amount of opposition which the proposal met. He seemed to think that the Dominion producers appreciated the need for a restriction on their exports. He had gone away considerably disillusioned and with a reijisntion that New Zealand, which was noted for its loyalty to the Empire, was being very unfairly treated, in that its leading industry was being selected for sacrifice. Once established, the quota would grow in a vicious spiral of prices until the production of New Zealand’s butter and cheese would be still more seriously hampered and prejudiced. The substitution of margarine would follow. “I do not think we should agree for one moment to put the British farmers on easy street and let our own drift into bankruptcy.” Mr. Polson said. ‘‘We have got to continue to develop this country. Someone has estimated that we have only developed to 20 per

cent, of our full capacity. I believe that is a conservative estimate.” Mr. Polson said there was no necessity for a quota on New Zealand cheese. He was satisfied that the British people were not in favour of it. During the last five or six years the amount of cheese Imported into Great Britain had shown a steady decrease. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon) said the prospect of international action breaking down the barriers erected against the flow of trade was so hopeless that to rely on that was relying on a delusion. In those circumstances it was necessary to have internal action, and the sooner they faced up to the facts of the situation the better for the people outside Parliament

TABLE TENNIS MATCH

Wellington v. Wairarapa The following players have been chosen by the sole selector, Mr. T. S. Williams, to represent Wellington against Wairnrapa to-night::—Messrs. Kennedy. Williams, Tindiil, Scrimshaw, Fry. Clark. Howe, Hayvice. Misses Sturrock, Williams, Hollis, McGregor, Parker, Case, Dunnett and Graham,