SHIFT SOUTH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 150, 26 June 1943, Page 4

SHIFT SOUTH

HELPING WAR EFFORT

MR. HOLLAND'S CONTENTION By the transfer pi some industrial activity from the North to the South Island not only would the war effort he helped but the living; cf#iditions of many North Island people would be improved, contended the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland), speaking on the Imprest Supply Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. He endorsed previous proposals for such transfers made by the member for Kaiapoi (Mr. Morgan Williams) and the member for Timaru (Mr. Clyde Carr). Mr. Holland said he was not making the suggestions in any parochial spirit but purely in his desire to help New Zealand and the war effort generally. At the present time he felt concerned about the tendency among the Government and departments to concentrate as much activity as possible in the North Island, when by the transfer of some of the work to the South Island the war effort could be considerably improved. "DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS." Living conditions in Wellington and Auckland and other parts of the North Island were deplorable, and he would suggest that a committee be set up in the House to make a survey of New Zealand and see where better accom-. modation could be found for a great many working people. In various parts of the North Island there were serious shortages of coal, gas, and electricity— a position that did not obtain in the South Island. He also could not understand why th<* military schools could not be in the South Island, and thought the Americans might use some of the camps in the South Island. The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser): It is a question of their -whole organisation and being as near as possible where they have to go to. Mr. Holland then became involved m a verbal tussle with Mr. F. W. Schramm (Government, Auckland East), who claimed that the Leader of the Opposition did not speak for the people of Auckland. Mr. Holland declared that he was speaking on behalf of a great .many people in Auckland. Mr. Schramm: You are a poetical hot dog. You won't get one seat an Auckland. Grey Lynn might help you, but that will be the only one.