THIRD HEADING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 107, 7 May 1936, Page 14

THIRD HEADING

MR. COATES'S CRITICISM

On the third reading, • Mr. Coates said that the debate had shown that the Leader of the House was of ruffled temper, and it had revealed for the first time that Mr. Savage was rather "short in the grain." • Mr. Poison: Showed a vindictive spirit. ' ' Mr. Coates said that the Prime Minister had not given the House or the country a free and ample opportunity to discuss the measure. Mr. A. Campbell (Government, Chalmers): How long would you like?. Mr. Coates: Babes in the wood! Mr. Coates said that it might be considered by some that because there was a large majority of Government members that gave them- the,. right, to ignore a minority. - ■ A Government member: Did you do that before? Mr. Coates: To me, it's new. ; A Government member: Oh, yes, to you. ' Mr. Coates said that it had always been the custom to extend ample opportunity and freedom to those members .who desired to discuss matters closely. The Hon. P. Fraser: What about the time you moved the closure oh the women, workers? Mr. Coates: The Prime Minister has a large majority, and he has used that. Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Roskill): And the country is behind him, too. , : Mr. Coates: He has used that majority to force through every measure that he desires to push through. Government members': Quite right; Mr. Poison: Bludgeoned it through. ■ Mr. Speaker: Order! I desire to remind members that this is a thirdreading speech. • ■ ' SILENCE OF GOVERNMENT MEMBERS. Mr. Coates said that a remarkable feature of the 'debate had been the silence of Government members; They had been compelled to^be quiet. Free speech had not been allowed. Mr. Richards: Don't you be funny. Mr. Coates said-that the- fact that Mr. Richards had not spoken was a feature hitherto unknown. Mr. Richards: It seems to annoy you: Mr. Coates said that the amendments moved by the Opposition covered the vital points concerned in the measure. The Opposition had tried to confine the effect of the Bill to. dairy products only. He contended that the dairy farmers would not get what was anticipated, and that was a price that was higher than the world's price over a period. All that was intended at the moment was that the dairy farmers

might get a price artificially risen when prices were low, but that the account to be opened at the Reserve Bank would be recouped eventually from the sale of the dairy farmers' produce overseas. If there was a surplus above the amount necessary to' recoup, the farmer might have that; but it was not certain. Mr. Coates submitted that prices could not be stabilised. If produce went into Britain bounty fed, there would be a prejudice against New Zealand. FARMERS' RIGHTS. Mr. Poison said the Opposition had endeavoured to wrest some advantages for the dairy farmer. The Bill had been bludgeoned through in a most extraordinary way, and the rights of the farmers had been taken from them to an extent that it was difficult to contemplate. The whole thing amounted to a great confidence trick, for all the guaranteed price amounted' to was a repayable advance. He submitted that the Opposition had taken up a reasonable attitude towards the Bill, but in spite of that members had been deprived of speaking and submitting well-reasoned amendments. There had been an abuse of tbe rights of members. During the passage of the Bill the Prime Minister had shown 'no generosity or sportsmanship, and his attitude had been one of trampling on the enemy when it was down. The Government had no appreciation of the problem of the dairy farmer and the result would be that a thorough mess would be made of the'industry.

Mr. Hamilton said sufficient time had not been given for the passage of the Bill, and he regretted that the measure had not been submitted to a Committee. The Bill had not been before the country at election time. Guaranteed prices had been discussed, but there had never been any suggestion of a commandeer of produce. It was to be regretted that the closure had been applied in the second. reading, before some Opposition members had spoken. . Referring /to the Dairy In-dustry-Account, Mr>: ■•' Hamilton said that' if there -was a surplus ,in the account the farmers .would not have r&ceived the market value of their produce. ■ . .