BUDGET DEBATE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1940, Page 16

BUDGET DEBATE

FARMING PROBLEM

RETURN TO "LAND SENSE"

IS LIFE TOO EASY?

When the Budget debate was continued in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon the Minister of Labour replied to the comments of Mr. A. E. Jull (National, Waipawa) regarding waterside workers and miners. He defended the co-operative contract system on the waterfront, and said that the coal miners had done a great deal towards the war effort. An interesting contribution to the debate was made by Mr. J. A. McL. Roy (National, Clutha), who discussed the importance I of farming and how the position of the farmers could be improved. Other topics dealt with are reported under separate headings.The House adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until Tuesday. The need for a return of "land sense" in New Zealand was referred to by Mr. Roy. While he did not suggest that the country should return to the hard times which were met by the pioneers, he thought life had become so easy that men were no longer inclined to accept the difficulties and long hours of farming. Referring to the statement of the Minister of Labour that there were 2000 men available for farm work and the work was not offered by the farmers, Mr. Roy said that the farm labour that had been offering during recent years had been so poor that farmers were disinclined to take on hands. He instanced a case where a worker had put the covers on a team of horses inside out. In any case, farmers did not require much labour during the winter months. Unfortunately farm work was looked down upon in New Zealand and consequently young men were inclined to drift away from the land. In too many cases there was an unwillingness to face the hard work, long hours, and difficulties met on the land. At the present time all classes in the community were rising to the occasion with the.exception of a small element which was holding back and causing trouble: He considered those who caused trouble were the real "fifth columnists" in the country and action should be taken against them. Mr. Roy said he thought the main thing that should be concentrated upon to assist in increased production was an intensification of top-dressing and manuring. He thought the best way of assisting -the- farmer to do more' top-dressing and manuring was to make advances available at a low rate of interest through the stock and station agents. The State Departments were very good, but they were too cumbersome and too slow-moving, and it was because of their greater flexibility that he suggested the stock and station agents, who also were in close contact with their clients. SUBSIDIES OR PUBLIC WORKS. The general impression he had found among the people in his district was rather one of disappointment that there had not been a greater curtailment in the Public Works vote. The people did not think that the country could stand up to the public works programme, the war, and the increased production. It was generally considered that something would have to go. Although he did not advocate the wholesale shutting down of public works, he thought there could be a very substantial reduction in the vote and that some of the subsidies could be increased. SOLDIERS' PAY. , Mr. Roy advocated an increase in the rate of pay for the rank-and-file members of the Expeditionary Force, stating that he did not think the present rate of 7s 6d was enough. He thought that some of the other expenditure could be cut down and something more given to the man who went overseas and those who came back, because, even if they were not actually wounded, the health of the soldiers through their service would suffer to some extent. Later in the debate Mr. T. H. McCombs said he thought that everyone would like to see the pay of the soldiers increased. But it had to be realised that the New Zealand private soldier was the best-paid private soldier in the world today, and the Government was proud of it.