BUDGET DEBATE

Evening Star, Issue 21820, 8 September 1934, Page 18

BUDGET DEBATE

INCOMPLETE AT WEEK-END [Per United Press Association.],- ; ■WELLINGTON, September 7;: ... The Financial Debate was resumed this afternoon. ~ Mr W., A. Bodkin (Central; Otago), who said the Budget Vr'as.a . hopeful message to every, person in.; the country except those in the Labour Party,' severely criticised, the Labour Party s policy and said the; Opposition speeches were wild and, sweeping., He criticised Labour’s statements that the Government should print millions of notes toguarantee prices to the farmers and pay pensions and other charges. He said the Labour Party desired to control the savings .of the . people so ..that it; could distribute largesse among other sections. . . . Mr Bodkin said that the mining law of New Zealand was obsolete, and- he considered that Mi- Tyndall was the best man available to bring it up to date and make it suitable to modern mining conditions. As Under-Secretary of. Mines, Mr Tyndall probably had the most important position in the Public Service. Mr Tyndall had to make suggestions to the Minister and to the Government to make ' gold mining as an industry appeal to capital. He had to hold the balance of power between the agricultural interests on the one hand and the mining community on the other., At present he was called oh to formulate proposals ‘ for the development of great areas in Otago and oh the West Coast. The Public .Works ‘ Department,”

said Mr Bodkin, 11 has built up a system of roads and bridges second to none in the world. During the past ten years it has been laying down concrete and bitumen roads that will bear comparison with' anything, and we have on the staff of the department -as fine a class of men as anywhere in'the world. I say,’ therefore, it . would be a. preposterous thing if .the Minis;ter had passed over his own officers.” • , , Mr,,J, W-, -Munro (Dunedin North! sasd” the; - Budget' was good in small 'parts. Referring to the Mortgage :Corpora,tion, he. said that, even if it was necessary for the House to sit over Christmas, that legislation should be put: bn the Statute Book during the present session. Promises would not keep the farmers, who were in'a difficult position. He believed that : a housing scheme would be one of the most useful things that could be inaugurated if it could be done with success. There was a shortage ;of houses, and . a building scheme would set the wheels of industry in motion.

Referring to the Native Affairs inquiry, Mr Munro contended that the Government should have accepted the Native Minister’s resignation when lit was tendered. He considered that the nurses should have been the first to gain any benefit' of a reduction in taxation or an increase in wages. He urged the Government, in co-operation with the Australian Government, to do something to protect New Zealand shipping. The Union Company had plans ready to build a new vessel in British yards if some protection wo,re given. ■ . Mi- J. A. Nash (Palmerston) claimed that the farmers had benefited greatly from the exchange. It might he true that the hanks and stock and station agents had also benefited, but why not? They had carried the farmers through difficult times. There was an undoubted feeling of goodwill towards the Government since the Budget was issued. Every day an improvement was taking place,. and he thought it justified, the Minister of Finance in his optimism. The Customs revenue had increased* the excess .of deposits over withdrawals •, in the savings hanks had increased, and there had been an increase in the . number of building permits and wireless t licenses. These were, all evidences of an .improvement. He considered that the increase in the ; old-age pensions, small as it was, would be gratefully received. He hoped that next year the full 10 per cent, would he restored, as the country owed a debt to the people who had done, the pioneering work in the dominion. He thought the Unemployment Board had done the best it possibly could for the unemployed with the money at its disposal. He urged the Government to seek fresh markets for butter and cheese in the East, so that if Britain imposed quotas the dominion would be in a position to meet ►the -situation.:; He;:considered that some attention : should-he given to ai reduc-,-tion in the= cost of .wireless , licenses. He thought there would.be a greater demand if the -cost were reduced. The Minister was' to' hecongratulated on the 1 success’-’ df-sth© I .conversion - loans, as these had had the effect of bringing the interest rates down to a reasonable level. , : ■ Mr D. W. Coleman (Gisborne) was speaking when the debate was adjourned: ■ 1