GOVERNMENT'S PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 131, 4 June 1936, Page 14

GOVERNMENT'S PLANS

TO BE ( A KIM EI) OUT JUDGING ITS OWN TIME The Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) assured the House of Representatives last night that the Government would not precipitate any sort of financial difficulties. The Government had three years to carry out its programme, he said. Mr. W. P. Endean (National, Parnell): Four years. The Minister: Thanks for the extra year from the member for Parnell. Continuing, he said that the Government had at any rate three years to implement its programme and the Government would carry out its policy in the way it wished. They received no support from the Opposition in framing the policy to place before the country, and the Government could be excused if it declined to say "how, when, and where" that policy was to be placed into operation, but it would be put into operation in the time stated. Already considerable advancement had been made. _ |( "No Government is infallible, said Mr Fraser, "but we will stand or fall by our three years' programme." Railways were being built in order to provide work for the people. Did the member for Awarua object to that. Mr. J. Hargest (National, Awarua): 1 said you were going to build them without cost. The Minister: Do you object to Duiiaing railways? . Mr. Hargest: No, not economic railways, but certain lines.

RAILWAY LINES. The Minister said he was anxious to ascertain where the Opposition stood in the matter of development. Were they in favour of the Napier-Gisborne line? . Mr. Hargest: Yes, we are in favour of it. . The Minister: I see the member for Temuka (Mr. T. D. Burnett) is opposed. He is faithful to the Conservative policy and I respect him for it. Mr. Fraser asked whether the members of the- Opposition were in favour of the South Island Main Trunk line. On no one assenting he said it seemed the members of the Opposition were all opposed* to that line, and the Government knew where they were. Mr. W. P. Endean: You are crossexamining. Mr. Speaker said it was not usual for members to address a fairly extensive series of questions to members of the Opposition. A member could raise a question and it could be answered when a member addressed had the chance to reply. The Minister must distinguish between one sort of question and another. The Minister said he had addressed questions to members of the Opposition and the responsibility was upon them to answer. He had asked the questions so that they could be answered at the proper time. The Minister wanted to know what was the alternative to the Government's policy. There were 58,000 unemployed in October or November last. He quoted figures to show that there , was a reduction of 2356 unemployed between December and April. _ The new Government was endeavouring to ; see how the unemployed could be assisted. They were trying to do somei thing permanent and steps had been taken in that direction.