PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21093, 4 May 1932, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NATIONAL EXPENDITURE ADJUSTMENT BILL. [Per United Pubes Association.] WELLINGTON, May 3. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The National Expenditure Adjustment Bill was reported from the Statutes I!('vision Committee with amendments. Hon. M. Fagan moved—“ That in the opinion of the Council the Government should convene a conference of practical mining men from various gold mining fields in the dominion for the purpose of assisting the Unemployment Board and bringing practical knowledge to hear on the vital question of the absorption of a greater number of men in the gold mining industry.” He said that if there was co-operation between the various interests it would be possible to employ 4,000 more men in the industry. It would be necessary to appoint supervisors to take charge of fields and instruct men in their work. The motion was seconded by Hon. W.H. MTntyre, who suggested that the conferences should take place on the goldfields. He complained that some oij the departmental officers were unsympathetic towards the men who were sent to the fields. Hon. D. Buddo and Sir James Allen both warmly supported the motion. The Leader of the Council (Sir James Parr) said that conferences had already been held at Coromandel and Dunedin, and an organisation of skilled and reliable men with special knowledge of mining had been set up. A comprehensive scheme had since been launched with the object of employing as many men as possible. Two mining engineers had been appointed whose sole duty it would be to investigate promising areas. The assistance of the geologiciusurvey staff had also been invoked. Sir James Parr said it was the intention: of the Minister of Mines to visit various gold mining centres during the recess and study the problem at first hand.; The motion was carried. Moving the committal of the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill, the Loader of the Council (Sir James Parr)l said the Council was constitutionally precluded from amending the measure in respect to salary and pension cuts and interest reductions affecting the Crown. The only alteration made by, the Statutes Revision Committee was in the direction of extending the benefit of the 20 per cent, reduction to persons who might have incurred obligations under annuities. Sir James Allen protested against the cuts in war pensions, and appealed to t(;o Government to reconsider the matte”. . Hon. M. Fagan said the outstanding injustice of the measure was the cut ;u miners’ pensions. He advocated a heavier tax on petrol and the running of sweepstakes as a means of raising revenue. He , thought the. judges - ' salaries should be reduced. Hon. D. Buddo said the Bill was an ambitious attempt to rehabilitate the public finances. Hon. J. A. Kanan said the Bill was Socialistic in many respects, and was providing for changes which would not have been tolerated five or six years ago. New Zealand had been living beyond its means, and the day of reckoning had come. Ho would vote for the Bill with reluctance. Hon. G. J. Garland said the necessity for the Bill was regrettable, but the Government had succeeded in spreading the burden as equally as possible. The Minister of Education (Hon. R.Masters) said the Bill was an honest attempt to meet the position. He defended the pensions cute and said that New Zealand had been very generous in the past. The pensions bill had become too heavy for the country to bear, and they had either to reduce or risk being unable to pay any pensions at Hon. W. Hall-Jones said he did not like the Bill at all. It was the work of the National Expenditure Commission rather than of the Government. Hon. W. H- MTntyre opposed the Bill. There were sources of taxation which could still be tapped, he said, in order to avoid pension cuts. Old-age pension cute would have a serious effect on the hospital boards. He deplored the' fact that the banks had been exempted from the provisions of the Bill. T Replying to the debate, Sir James Parr said he had found no pleasure m the Bill, but the Government was facing the problem of rehabilitation with rare courage. . , . , The Bill was committed, and the short title was agreed to. The Council rose at 11 p.m. until 11 a.m. to-morrow, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House of Representatives sat till 0.35 a.m. Its business is reported under, separate headings.