PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21037, 26 February 1932, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL [Per United Press Association.] t WELLINGTON, February 25. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. After a tribute had been paid to the memory of the Hon. W. Earnshaw tho Council roso at 2.40 p.m. until Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tho House of Eepresentatives met at 2.30 p.m. Mr H, T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) gave notice of his intention to introduce a Gaming Amendment Bill. Mr C. L. Carr (Timaru) asked whether provision would be made for tho representation of unemployed workers’ organisations on local unemployment committees. —The Minister in .Charge of Unemployment (Mr Coates) replied that it was not proposed to make any alteration at the present time. Mr J. Hargest asked the Minister in Charge of Unemployment if ho was aware that unemployed returned soldiers throughout the country who were in receipt of pensions amounting to as low as 10s per week were deprived of one day’s work per week. Would the Minister make provision that tho pension paid to an ex-soldier as compensation for injury to his health should have no bearing upon his earnings? Mr Hargest added _ that, even admitting that an ex-soldier’s pension should be balanced against his earnings, a pensioner in receipt of 10s a week was worse off than his fellow workers with no service.—Mr Coates said the matter was under immediate consideration. Mr Taite To Tomo (two days) and Mr M. J. Savage (four days) were granted leave of absence on account of illness.

The State Lotteries Bill (Mr G. C. Black) and the Silver and Copper Coinage Bill (Mr C. A. Wilkinson) were introduced and read a first time. Tho Prime Minister intimated that it_ was not intended to go on with private members’ Bills during the present session.

The House passed the customary motion recording appreciation of the services to the dominion and expressing sympathy with the relatives of the following deceased legislators Messrs E. P. Lee, a former Minister of the Crown and member for Oamaru, 1911-22 and 1925-28; Sif J. P. Luke, member for Wellington Suburbs, 1906-11, and Wellington North, 1918-28; W. Earnshaw, member for the Peninsula, and later Dunedin City, 1890-96, and Legislative Councillor from 1913 till the time of his death; E. Walter, member for Stratford, 1925-28; J. H. Witheford, member for Auckland City, 1900-05; Charles Wilson, member for Wellington Suburbs, 1887-99, and former chief librarian of the General Assembly. After tributes had been paid by a number of members the House adjourned at 4.7 p.m. till 7:30 p.m. as a mark of respect. Mr Forbes intimated that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill would be introduced to-morrow. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. When the House resumed at 7.30 ,p.m. Mr A. J. Murdoch (Marsden) moved the formal Address-in-Reply motion. He characterised New Zealand’s financial situation as a reflex of the situation in the Motherland. The dominion’s income was so largely dependent on the sale in the Old Country of the products of our soil that when Great Britain was undergoing a period of depression it followed that New Zealand’s finances, must also suffer. Britain having so long stood alone among her competitors as a Freetrade country had become a general dumping ground, and it had been found there had been a general drifting from prosperity. It had _ consequently become necessary for Britain to impose tariffs, and he believed that this step would ameliorate conditions in the Old Country. This would bo followed by improved conditions in New Zealand. Mr Murdoch expressed confidence that the Ottawa Economic Conference would result in increased Empire trade. Mr Murdoch also expressed the hope that the conference on the subject of war debts and reparations would produce concrete results. An opportunity would be afforded if there was a general agreement on a reduction for the world’s nations to make a fresh start in an atmosphere of great hope. In the meantime New Zealand would have to do her part, and he urged concentraf tion on greater production from the soil and the maintenance of high quality produce. Referring to unemployment, Mr Murdoch said it was hoped that as a result of the new programme to be launched by the Minister in charge that more men would be placed on the land. The motion was seconded by Mr J. Bitchener (Waitaki), who said it was to bo regretted that Parliament had had to meet, because if the economic condition of the country had been improving the session would not have been necessary. One of the country’s greatest problems was the low price of primary products. Farmers wore endeavouring to go on producing, but a great area of land that was being farmed was not paying, and he did not think there were more than 23,000,000 acres showing a profit. This meant that 23,000,000 acres were hearing what 43,000,000 acres had previously borne. Ho did not think that if the 20,000,000 acres which were not showing a profit wore offered rent free to anyone with a knowledge of farming he would take it up, because the costs of farming had so greatly increased in recent years. It was the duty of Parliament and the country to devise some means of making those 20,000,000 acres pay their way. Labour and costs were still nearly 50 per cent, above the 1914 Jovel, ivhile the export prices were 23 per cent, below. Farmers could not survive unless the prices were adjusted. The towns and cities did not realise the position farmers were in. Ho considered a free exchange system should be adopted. No body of farmers had said the exchange should be “ pegged ” at 25 per cent., but they felt they should bo treated fairly. Continuing, Mr Bitchener said he trusted New Zealand would bo ably represented ftt the Economic Conference. Ho felt sure the dominion’s case would be capably presented, and there was no reason why it should not bo realised that what would be beneficial for one part of the Empire would be good for the Empire as a whole. Mr Bitchener declared that the amendments which it was proposed to make to the Arbitration and Apprentices Acts would be welcomed by thousands of people in the dominion. He believed New Zealand would soon bo on the way to recovery from the depression.

The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland!, and the House rose at 8.35 p.m. till 10.30 to-morrow morning.