ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1922, Page 9

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

THE DEBATE OPENED

DEFENCE OP THE GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION OPENS TO-DAY. The Address-in-Reply debate was opened in the House of Representatives last, night. There were only the. two speakers, Mr. David Jones (Kaiapoi) and Mr. Clutha Mackenzie' (Auckland East). The debate was adjourned just after 9 p.m., and will, be.continued today by the Leader of the Opposition. In moving the Address-in' Reply, Mr. D. Jones (Kaiapoi) said that, the Wnsli- , ington ConferencCj referred to in the Speech of the Governor-G-eriersl, was perhaps more important to us "than any other conference that had recently taken pltice. It was probable that ..the- Conference and. what resulted from'it would largely take the place of the League of Nations, because it seemed impossible to have a really effective League of Nations without the assistance of' America, at'the present time. The Washington .Conference had, been successful v beyond our anticipations. The spirit: of'self-sacrifice with which America met that Conference was-worthy of air praise, and met with the success it deserved. Referring to the preference given by New Zealand) to the Mother Country, the speaker said that while preference, was not given in any bargaining spirit,, yet. that .did not make it any the less valuable to Great Britain, and that fact 'should be remembered with credit to us when we were discussing the question of our naval defence. : ■ . " , THE NATIONAL DEBT. The question of the National Debt of the Dominion was then dealt with. It was pointed out that a- very large percentage of that debt represented money which had been lent out again^ and was interest-bearing; and a large sum had been expended on revenue-earning works. ■When one analysed our balance-sheet, ■and realised how our assets were growing, one should be prepared to make some sacrifice while New Zealand was in deep waters, and whilst we were getting out of the trouble which the war had left us. Alluding to what he termed unreasonable criticism, ' the : speaker remarked that it was easy to criticise, but he was sure if the Minister of Finance were left alone to pursue his way he would get New Zealand- out of her difficulties. He pointed to the recent successful flotation of New Zealand's five million loan, and expressed the opinion that the financial position of. Now Zealand to-day was sounder than anyone expected to find it twelve months ago. He then alluded to the cut in Civil servants' salaries and wages, and.remarked that it was fortunate that the Government would apparently be able to get through without reducing salaries—apart from the bonuses. He maintained that, the 10 per cent, rebate to land and income-tax payers was the best financial transaction the Treasury had carried out. for many years past, because it threw upon financial firms and banks the liability to support their clients in taking advantage of the concession.

INTEREST IN WAGE-EARNERS.

The Government, he argued, had shown the utmost interest in the welfare of the State's servants. In the first place, it had given them a definite classification basis, and from 19H to 1920 grade salaries had been advanced from £75. to £100 per annum. These increases were a. guarantee that it was only, under severs financial pressure that a reduction would be made. Another interesting fact was Jo be found in what had happened, to the outside wage-earners under this Government. From 1896 to 1911, a period of fifteep "years, wages increased by £3,644,000, while from 1911 to 1921, a period of ten years, the wages increase bad been £9,000,000 per annum —surely sound proof of the statement that wage-earners wore better off under this Government than they had been under any formes Government.

SUCCESS OF REPATRIATION. '

Having dealt briefly with the improved outlook1 for New Zealand produce, : Mr. Jones referred to soldier. settlement, speaking of tht fears which had been, expressed as to the impossibility of getting the men back to civilian life without trouble. So well had the pioblem been handled, however, that New Zealand could claim to have dealt With the returned men more generously and ably than anj other country. Those people who went abroad and saw the conditions of returned soldiers would come back proud of what had been done by the New Zealand Government. The figures covering repayments of advances made were a credit to the men repatriated. Repatriation should be considered ■as a whole, and not in sections. For ipstance, many criticised the system under which land had been purchased for soldiers, but he felt the Government had been criticised unjustly, for experienced farmers had bought at the sume prices. Dr. H. T. J.-Thacker (Christchurch East): —"You should have given the owners bonds." ■'''.'

Mr. Jones argued that the Government had done great good by making the people of New Zealand save by compelling them to invest in the .war loans and to take up bonds. TRADE WITH AMERICA. Mr. Clutha Mackenzie (Auckland East), in seconding the; address, referred to the serious problems which New Zealand had to face after the war; and said that in view. of the still unsettled state of Europe it was, impossible to predict when we would quite return to our previous high state of prosperity. He predicted that America would in the future be one of our greatest trade clients, and in view of that position,, we should sec to if that we were properly represented there in matterß of trade. Dealing with finance, the speaker remarked that the Government had a very difficult task to face, and it was ■carrying it out with the greatest consideration Tor all. Hk alluded ■ with . pleasure- to the large increuso in our dairy exports. He maintained that land settlement must he the key to tin successful development of the Dominion. The speaker regretted that om town population was increasing at a much more rapid rate than was the population in conn try districts. We should do everything possible in our policy to avoid the continuance of that .stale of things. In his opinion there was not enough being'done in the way of land settlement. He pointed to: the bold accomplishments .in that respect in North America. As to education, he expressed the hope that local committees would maintain—and regain perhans—some of tbsir lost interest in, and share in, the control of schools. Tn conclusion, he said that Mr. iMassey had allied against him all the elements of discontent against the British Emoire; all who were opposed to the Empire were opposed to Mr. Massey's regime: but he was proud lo he a supporter of Mr. Massey, who was such a staunch and loyal Britisher.

Mr. Wilford moved the adjournment r>? the debate, and the House adjourned at 9.5 p.m.