SOME "CHEER GERMS"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 12, 14 July 1939, Page 6

SOME "CHEER GERMS"

mr. frost chides opposition

The "gloomy outlook" of the Opposition crane'in for special attention from Mr. F. L. Frost (Government, 'New Plymouth) in the course, of his maiden speech. Members cf (he Opposition, he said, reminded him of the "Little Englanders" who thought that every country was belter than their own, and they were rapidly qualifying . for the;, title through their unpleasant habit of decrying their own country. "We are in danger of raising a brood of 'little New Zealanders.'" he said.

Mr. Frost asked when the Opposition was going to lose its depression complex, when on all sides' there were reasons for being cheerful. Its amendment showed that if it had searched the dictionary for words of woe it could not have found a better collection than it put together in the amendment. This was no new thing for a Tory party, for Tories always found things gloomy when they, were not going as they wished. . The- Opposition was making itself sick with misgivings to injure the good name of New Zealand. He wanted to introduce a few cheer germs from Taranaki, because things were not really so bad. . . ' .

Mr. Frost quoted figures to support his argument. He said that between March, 1935. and March, 1939, the population of the Dominion had risen by 143,700 to 1.624.714; in March, 1939, arrivals in the country exceeded departures by more than ten thousand; in March, 1935, 1579 immigrants arrived in New Zealand, but in March this year this number had risen to 6493. People did not rush, to the country which was the poorest in the world, but one which had good government, a good climate, and opportunities for advancement. More people were now coming to New Zealand and New Zealanders -were being born here. It was one of the. best, endowed countries in the world.

Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford): God's own country but the de\ jil's own Government.

Touching on the question of Socialism, Mr Frost said that the State should have a good deal more interest in this country, and that added value due to roads and railways which now went to the people alongside them should accrue to the State. He hoped the Minister of Finance, when he was revising the incidence of taxation, Avould make some provision for these community-created values to be brought- into the coffers of the State.

•'■• The * last speaker of the night was Mr. J.. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn), whose remarks are reported elsewhere in this issue. Mr. Lee's speech was interrupted by the adjournment at 10.30 p.m.