MOKE SPEECHES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 11, 13 July 1922, Page 4

MOKE SPEECHES

DEBATE CONTINUING

CUTS AND EXPENDITURE

GOVERNMENT DIFFICULTIES.

Six more mejnbers of the House of Representative spoke in the ■ Address-in-R«ply debate yesterday, but no division was taken, and when the House adjourned at 11.20 p.m. it appeared that there were still several members intending to speak. Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) said the beginning of Reform would be to set their own house in order. They should have more criticism in the House, more power in the hands of members, and less domination by one man. Reform of the Legislative Council had been promised,. but its operation had been postponed again and again, and they still had the same old nominative Chamber, a place where Bills to which the Primo Minister objected could be conveniently killed. The Prime Minister: "Nam© one; I don't know any." ■ Mr. Statham: "Oh, there are several." "WASTEFUL ADMINISTRATION," Criticising: administration, Mr; Statham said if it were possible to turn out a large number of Civil servants (as the Prime Minister said was an alternative to the second cut) it was an indictment of the Government, because there must be too many employed no-jr* The Prime Ministers "t could cut flown the State services." /' Mr. Stntham said that to improve railway administration the Minister proposed to set up a committee on which would be three members who, they had the right to assume,. were already doing their best for the service* The railway accounts were presented in such a way that it was impossible for the public to understand. Mr. Statham discussed the taxation per head of population, and said that the only reason it Trent down was the drop in the Customs and income tax revenue. The Prime Minister: "And it went up. in the previous year because of the over-importation." Mr. Statham said there had really been no reduction but an increase of taxation last session. The ordinary individual saved a few shillings on his land tax, but paid it over and over again through the increased Customs duties imposed last session. The Customs Tariff was framed for revenue purposes ; and it was now unstable, as an importer might bay goods and find, when they, arrived at the wharf, that the duty had been increased 100 per cent. Mi". W. S. Glenn (Rangifcikei), b reply to remarks by Dr. Thaclser, ■ said that to charge Sir James.Allen with "junketing and jazzing" round Europe was. at least small. He defended the Government's land settlement of soldiers, supported the immigration policy as a means of increasing production and spreading taxation, and referred with satisfaction to the work of the Meat Producars' Board. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North), in referring, to the bonus cuts, said lie had not been able to vote with the Leader of the extreme Labour Party, because he .believed; a cut was necessary, but neither could he vote with the Reform Party, because he did not think the details of the. cuts had been properly arranged. LAND PURCHASES, , Mr. Isitt said the purchase of certain Eroperties in the Hutt Valley by the eddon Government had been referred to by a previous speaker; and it was added that the present Loader of the Opposition was a member of the Seddon Party. Even if too much were paid at that time, two blacks did not make a white. He un-. derstood, however, that one of the properties referred to was to-day some hundreds of pounds more value than it was when it was purchased. In the speaker's opinion, the whole method of purchase of land for soldier settlement by the Re: form Government bad been a mistake! THE BONUS CUT; Although he thought the cut was a necessity, still he did not approve the incidence of that cut. It was very easy for the extreme Labour Party to criticise and to declare—as they did—that it I ought to be an easy matter for the Prime | Minister to arrange the finances satisfactorily at the p2-eseDt time; but put a Red Government in office—put responsibility upon them, and see what would happen. He then pointed to the position in Queensland under a Labour Government. That showed that the Labour Party was just as incapable as any other party of carrying on the government of the country in these times without making reductions in many directions. In his opinion, it would have been infinitely better if the cut had been confined iii a greater degree to the higher salaries. He knew the difficulty involved in that. The Prime Minister hod made -no differentiation in granting bonuses or in making reductions between married men and single men. " Within a short time," added Mr. Isitt, " the Prime Minister will be absolutely compelled to differentiate between the wages of married men and single men." An hon. member; " The workers won't have it." Mr. Isitt replied that the workers must not dictate in a matter of that kind. FACING DIFFICULTIES. The Hon, W. Downie Stewart (Minister of Customs) alluded to the great difficulties which all Governments had to face at the present time. Ho twilled the Opposition with putting forward a candidate n't the recent Dunedin by-elec-tion without any definite platform. It was easy to say that the Government hud not solved 'the problem of unemployment. No country had done so, but New Zealand had been less affected by unemployment than any other country. The Government had done a great deal to reduce unemployment. Last year it spent £300,000 a month ou public works, when the amount should have been cut down to £200,000; and this year large provision had been made. 'I'lie criticism of the Leader of the Opposition simply amounted to this, that there was still unemployment in the country. On the other hand, the Leader of the Opposition complained of extravagance in expenditure, but the two things were not reconcilable. They could not reliovo unemployment unless they continued to spend money on public works. The Leader of the Opposition also in his financial criticism confused capital expenditure with expenditure from ordinary revenue. The Liberals were also in conflict with each other. Mr. Atmore, for example, agreed that a cut in salaries to be effective must come down to fairly low salaries; but Mr. WilFord would limit fa to higher salaries. Mr. Atmore also had courage enough to state his disapproval of the union of the P. and T. Association with the Alliance of Labour. Mr. Wilford reached the same conclusion, but on unsatisfactory grounds. Replying to Mr. Statham's criticism of the instability of the Tariff, the Minister said that wider powers were given him Uian he would caro to have, except that it was necessary to have a flexible Tariff. He illustrated the difficulties of dealing with dumped goods. If an industry were imperilled by dumping, they

must act promptly, and then the importer complained. He admitted that there was some dissatisfaction at first, but as a result of its experience, the Department had now issued a memorandum stating the course proposed to be adopted generally. Mr. M'Combs: '.'Have you agreed to give three months' notice?"

The Minister: "Except when it is proved t» us that an industry is imperilled by large importations." The dumping and depreciated currency duties were now working fairly satisfactorily.

Mr. Stewart denied that there was overlapping in the Government Departments under his control. There had been a great extension of the duties cast upon the Public Departments within recent years. New Acts had been passed and had to be administered.

GRADUAL REFORM.

The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) began his speech by a brief review of tho history and achievements of the Liberal Party in New Zealand. After dealing with post-war conditions, be commented on modern social and economic developments. In his opinion thero could bo no amelioration of industrial conditions until reforms were brought about, 'but those reforms must come gradually. He thought it was feasible to. establish a scheme of insurance against unemployment and sickness—particularly iv connection with organised trades. Bach industry must provide its own unemployment wage. A great deal of unrest in this and other countries had been caused by the deplorable housing conditions, especially as those conditions affected members of the working classes. In this country we had a housing scandal, owing to tho uncomfortable and unhealthy conditions in which so many wage-earners had to live. He was of opinion that the time was coming when legislation would he invoked to give effect to many industrial reforms which had been adopted by some employers in co-operation with their employees. He then advocated reform in taxation in lbs direction of making it more equitable. In his opinion the report of the Committee on Taxation should he madeptiblie. That Committee should have taken evidence throughout the Dominion. As to soldier settlement, he advocated a revaluation of the land—even if it meant some loss to the State lor a time. Stress was laid on the vital importance of increased production, which could be brught about l>y the settlement of land at present imoccupied, by training of agriculturists, and in other ways. With "respect to the cut in salaries, the speaker, said he would like to have seen a graduated scheme adopted, and those with big incomes should have had their salaries subjected to a greater reduction. While lie favoured a sound system of immigration, he did not believe in immigration during a time of industrial depression.

SOLDIERS' HARDSHIPS.

Mr; G. R. Sykes (Masterton), dealing with soldier settlement, referred particularly to the Tirauinea settlement/ He was very familiar with, that settlement] as it was in his electoral district, and he regretted to say that h© must write that settlement down as a partial failure. Every .tare was, exercised with regard to the imrchase of the land for the settlement. The former occupier of the laud had been successful, but experience lad shown thaj; the estate was not suitable for closer settlement. The unfortiuate conditions prevailing at tho time of the start of the now settlement were referred to. He admitted that the settlers bad been sympathetically dealt with/ He thought that permission should be giveii to enlargo some of tho holdings— although ■ under other circumstances he was opposed to aggregation- There Must be revaluation of the landi The Minister should seriously consider the question of cancelling the rents owing by some of the settlers. In other cases ho V^as pleased to acknowledge that soldier settlers wero largely making good., He commented on tho heavy taxation now imposed on the people, and regretted that it 6eemed unavoidable that the burden must be borne until better conditions prevailed. It was rnpopular just now to suggest that it was a, proper policy to adopt to encourage immigration to this country. But many of those, coming here were our kith and kin, numbers being also ex-Imperial soldiers; and if they desired to come here, should we prohibit then1 entrance to this country? He advocated increased production and moro intensive cultivation of land already in occupation. Much improvement could be brought about by cow-testing, careful culling, and better feeding. By the adoption of better methods, the production of butter and cheese could be increased a hundredfold. A similar remark applied to the pastoral industry.

The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 11.15 p.m.