ADDRESS IN REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 7, 8 July 1938, Page 10

ADDRESS IN REPLY

DEBATE CONTINUED

THE 'WHISPERING CAMPAIGN'

MORE ABOUT THE FOUR COLONELS

Various points of interest were raised when the Address-in-Reply debate was resumed in the House of Representatives today.

" Mr. C. A. Barrell (Government, Hamilton), in a reference to the social security plan, said that while everything was done to see that ordinary machinery was kept in proper repair, inadequate provision was made for the care and maintenance of the human machine and its good health. With the Government's plans that was going to end.

Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford): What do we do when a machine will not work?

Mr. W. M. Q. Denham (Government, Invercargiil): Let him join the National Party.

Mr. Barrell: There are plenty of men farming farmers who do not work. I would like to see something done with them.

Referring to the "whispering campaign," Mr. Barrell recounted how two -women had called at his house selling silk and had indulged in propaganda against the Government. He also.knew of business firms who lined up their staffs, telling them that the secretary of the National Party was there, and that if they wanted to join the National Party now was their chance. Some of the staffs were game enough to declare their political colour.

Mr. C. Carr (Government, Timaru) The boss goes round with the agent.

Mr. Barrell: I know one man who went into the boss's office and underwent half an hour's inquisition. When he came out I asked him if he had joined up with the National Party. He said he had, but that he was not going to vote for them. OFFICERS' MANIFESTO. Mr. Barrell expressed approval of the disciplinary action taken against the four colonels who signed the defence manifesto. "The four colonels ■know the Army Regulations," he said. '^Although they swore allegiance to the King's Regulations they deliberately f broke the oath they took when they received their commissions. I have no sympathy with them." . Declaring that he had received the impression from the speech of the j member for Parnell (Mr. Endean) that an attempt was being made to stampede the Minister of Defence and his colleagues, Mr. A. Campbell (Government, Chalmers) referred to the Speech from the Throne, in which his Excellency the Governor-General said that ihis Ministers fully realised the importance of taking adequate measures for the defence of New Zealand. When the" present Minister of Defence took over the portfolio he found equipment out of date and ammunition shortage.

"I think the Minister of Defence was right in putting down the four colonels," continued Mr. Campbell. "In my opinion, he made one mistake. j He should have stripped them of their peacock feathers and put them into civilian clothes. We hear a lot of talk about Russia in this House, but I ant of opinion that if the four colonels bad been in Russia they would have j been given twelve hours to prepare for that long journey from which none return." ' WATERFRONT WORK, Mr. Campbell continued that the trouble on the waterfronts of New Zealand'was created to a large extent by friction caused by the employer, and the quicker the ship owners tried ' to get into co-operation with the watersiders the quicker they would get the work done. Sir William Hunt had recently returned to New Zealand from a trip to Australia, and had criticised the work on the New Zealand waterfront as compared with that in the Commonwealth. In Australia, said Mr. Campbell, they worked found the clock, but in New Zealand we were civilised, fortunately, and a man would not break down as a result of the long hours of duty. Sir William might be all right in his own occupation, but he should not dabble in things abotit which he knew, nothing. In this respect he-reminded Mr, Campbell of a cow with a musket. POLITICAL FREEDOM. Mr. J. B. F. Cotterill (Government, Wanganui) said that under the present Government ,civil servants had full political freedom, which they had not previous enjoyed. Mr. J. Hargest (National, Awarua): "What about the four colonels? Mr. Cotterill: As a military man, the honourable gentleman should know the implications of some safeguards which should be applied, notwithstanding that the Civil Service has full freedom of political action. There was an even/greater measure of support for the Labour Government today than there had been in 1935, Mr. Cotterill claimed. Ample evidence was provided in statements made from time to time by National Party members that if they were returned to office the people could expect an experience something like that of ifcheir previous term of office. DIFFERENCE OF £350,000.

Mr. J. G. Barclay (Government, Marsden) said that if the Government had put into effect the average of the recommendations made by the Committee regarding the guaranteed price the dairy farmers would be receiving today a farthing per pound butterfat, or a total of £350,000 for the Dominion, less than they were receiving this year. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford): You are juggling with the .figures.

Mr! Barclay repeated his figures, and. said it was little wonder that the1 National Dairy Conference had turned down a proposal to take the fixing of the guaranteed price out of the Government's hands. If there was ons outstanding thing the Minister of Marketing had done, it was in eliniinating the influence of the mercantile houses over the dairy industry. "We don't say that the scheme is perfect or thrft the guaranteed price is all it should be," Mr. Barclay added, "but; at the same time, the dairy industry is not going to let it go until it sees something better." (Proceeding.)