DEBATE OPENS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 1, 1 July 1925, Page 9

DEBATE OPENS

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

NEW MEMBER'S SPEECH

A FARMING FLAVOUR.

The debate on the Addre3S-m-Reply to the Speech of the Govern- ; or-General lit the opening of Parliament, was commenced in the House of Representatives last night, the speeches for the opening night being confined to the mover and seconder of the motion. There was a rural flavour about both speeches. Mr. E. D; M'Lennan (Franklin) said be moved the resolution with considerable diffidence because of his lack of knowledge of the procedure. No one regretted mere sincerelyr than he did the sad circumstances which led to hi* ftlection to the House, and he felt that he entered the House as a. ,very poor substitute for the great statesman whom they had lost. However, it would be his earnest endeavour to serve his constituents and the Dominion in helping to carry on the late Mr. Massey's Imperial and domestic policy. Congratulating Mr. Coates on his appointment as Prime Minister, the,speaker said he was sure Mr. Coates would fill the position with honour. Mr. M'Lennan then referred to the arrival of Sir Charles Fergusson as Governor-General, whose Speech, he said, reflected tho loyalty of the Dominion to the Empire. Thanks to the late Mr. Massey, the credit of the country was good, as was evidenced : by the satisfactory terms of the recent loan. Revenue and expenditure were both mounting up, but the surplus of £11,250,000 was a good one v Mr. M- . Lennan spoke of the reductions effected in taxation, and said he was sure the Government would make further, reductions now that things were, becoming normal. , . „ . The importance of sound agricultural education was dealt with by Mr. MLennan, who reviewed the Governments activities on this connection. He compared the growth of the Dominion's exports, in the last twelve years, and, us a farmer, stressed the need for more and cheaper fertilisers so as to keep primary production at a high level. Re expressed pleasure with the various legislative proposals outlined in the Gov-ernor-General's Speech, particularly in regard to child welfare. ; A STABILISING INFLUENCE He regarded the present Administration as a stabilising influence in the country, and praised the Government's land legislation and the freehold tenure. This, he said, was the one form of tenure which had stood the test of time, and was one which appealed to the farmers. That was shown during the recent Franklin by-election. A temporary tenure suoh as leasehold or the "usehold" of the Labour Party, would tend to make a profit as soon as possible without regard to the permanent fertility of the soil. That would not be in the interests of the producers or the country. Mr. M'Lennan spoke in favour of the various produce control Acts, and added that he thought the secondary industries should be encouraged as far as possible so long as a high protective tariff was '-■. not imposed. The relations between Capital and Labour, and the necessity for mutual goodwill, was then referred to by Mr. M'Lennan, who said the spirit of good fellowship and comradeship should be encouraged. Recreation areas, in his opinion, should be provided. But, hard work and effort was necessary to success. . . , • ' ■ Proper encouragement should be given for people to settle on the land and means taken to 'check the drift to the towns. Struggling settlers should be given sufficient capital to enable_ them to carry on; and in this connection he felt sure the fullest assistance would be given by the State Advances Office. Sons of farmers should be encouraged to Btay on the land, and the country roading problem should be grappled with. The housing question was touched on by Mr. M'Lennan, who put in a plea for better social relationships in order to ensure the continued prosperity of the country, and for due honour to be paid to God, the King, and the Flag. MR. HUDSON SECONDS Mr. M'Lennan spoke for just over half an hour, and his speech was seconded by Mr. B. P. Hudson (Motueka), who welcomed Mr. M'Lennan to the House. Mr. Hudson supported the sentiments expressed by Mr. M'Lennan in regard to Their Excellencies' return to Now Zealand, and to the accession to office ' of Mr. Coates. They mourned the loss of Mr. Massey, especially at this time, when the. horizon was far from clear of the clouds of war. ' ' • jte The work performed by the Govern- »•' <"inent in assisting farmer soldiers was defended by Mr. Hudson, who said he knew of many cases of soldiers who recognised that the Government lad done a fair thing towards them in helping them to make . good. He maintained that instructors should be appointed to teach the soldiers proper methods of farming, and said the soldiers desired assistance in this direction. Land deterioration was next dealt with; by Mr. Hudson, who said there were areas in the South Island requiring attention just as much as in the North Island, and he trusted that in this connection the South Island would receive ■ earnest consideration. He agreed with the views of Mr. M'Lennan that more agricultural instructors should be appointed, and referred to splendid Tesults which had followed on this system in Ireland. The growing of tobacco was proving profitable, but many of the farmers were to a large extent in the dark as to the proper methods to pursue. He hoped the Government would appoint an instructor in this industry, but issued a warning against the incursion of powerful trusts, which might detrimentally affect the growers. Mr. Hudson urged that instructors in veterinary science should be appointed, and joined with Mr. M'Lennan in the satisfaction he had expressed that nurses' superannuation was about to become an accomplished fact in this country. He would like to see a more generous subsidy provided for the Plunket Society, and pointed out the difficulties facing the nurses in their work throughout the country. Mr. Hudson alao urged the Government to realise the necessity of liberally subsidising other societies which existed for humanitarian and uplifting purposes. More dental nurses should be engaged, and a nominal charge should be made to cover the cost of the nurses' travelling^ He regretted that more money could not be made available for the State Advances Department. Money borrow-

Ed from this Department was an investment, and he thought the losses would be almost nil, so it should be the duty of the Government to provide more money for the operations of the Department. Education expenditure was growing, but it was due to the increase, in the number of scholars, whose interests should be fostered. The pre-war average of teachers' salaries was £160, now it was £277, which, must be taken a>: satisfactory, having, as it had done, the effect of attracting more teachers to the backblocks. There was not a better trend in the method of giving agricultural instruction to school children. A development of the correspondence system was advocated by Mr. ' Hudson, saying that the present classes wero proving successful. More, said Mr. Hudson, should be done in the direction of fostering tho secondary industries, and he expressed the hope that the day was not far distant when Capital and Labour would bo working together for their mutual goodwill. In . conclusion, Mr. Hudson urged that steps should be taken to protect Empire industries from foreign competition, contending; that it would be to the ultimate benefit of all in the Empire. The Empire could produce all its own requirements. In conclusion, Mr. Hudson, who spoke for fifty minutes; issued a' general appeal to all people to help keep the country in its present happy and prosperous condition. On the motion of Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South the debate was adjourned at 9.10 p.m., until 2.30 p.m. to-day. 1