POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 23340, 9 August 1939, Page 16

POLITICAL POINTS

NECESSITIES BEFORE LUXURIES MINISTER JUSTIFIES TRADESMEN IMPORTATIONS [From Our Parliamentary Reporter..] ( _ WELLINGTON, August 8. “ It is better to reduce the consumption of luxury goods and to transfer capital overseas, even to the temporary embarrassment of those concerned, than to rob the great majority of people of access to the necessaries of life by reducing wages, salaries, and pensions as our predecessors did.” With these words Mr Carr (Government, Timaru) opened his speech, adding: “ I have no desire to minimise the -seriousness of our present position. Difficulties have arisen at a time when huge overseas debt commitments are falling due.. These are not of the present Government’s making or seeking, though I agree that better and prompter safeguards should have been provided and definite steps taken, say, three years ago to conserve our sterling assets.” The drive for new industries should have been seriously begun years ago. The process would have been one of gradual transition, free from the present shocks to the importers here or exporters in England. Then New Zealand would not have been placed in so embarrassing a position on the London market concerning the loan of £17,000,000. A conflict with London was not unanticipated l . It was known by some in the Dominion that vested money interests abroad as Well as in New Zealand would show their teeth.

ARTISAN IMPORTATION. “It may not be correct to say the scheme has proved 100 per cent, successful, but it has been 99$ per cent, successful, so what is all. the noise about?” In these terms the Minister of Housing (Mr Armstrong) answered criticism levelled against the immigration of Australian tradesmen. The Minister said 384 men were brought to New Zealand from Australia, steamer fares being advanced—33B men, and 22 of them had already fully repaid the fares and. 266 were paying instalments regularly in accordance with the agreement. There were 50 men with whom the department was out of touch, this being duo to the fact that the men were changing from one job to another. The position was normal, and the men would be contacted again within a week. While perhaps another 50 would be out of touch temporarily, it was untrue and unfair to say that a large number of men had returned to Australia after having enjoyed a visit to New Zealand at the Government’s expense. Only four men had returned. In one case the man had been released from his contract because of a breakdown in health; in another the contract had l been cancelled to enable the man concerned to return home because of special family circumstances ; and in the remaining two cases the men broke their contract and returned to Australia from Auckland. The Minister said the total cost of passages advances was £3,415. Of that sum £1.859 had been repaid up to date Generally speaking, the Minister could say that the Australians had played the game and shown themselves to be com-, petent tradesmen. He had no regrets regarding the decision to import men from Australia. * * * ' * •• ■ USING THE SLEDGE-HAMMER. Sledge-hammer methods of dealing with i literjectors were introduced into the financial debate by, the Minister ol Housing (Mt Armstrong) during his speech. He made reference to bis former portfolio, Minister of Labour, and this brought repeated requests from Mr Broadfoot (National, Waitmno) for enlightenment as to why the Minister had relinquished, that post. “ Shut up!” roared the Minister across the floor of the House to the laughter of his colleagues and to the embarrassment of Mr Broadfoot, who kept the peace thereafter. Later Mr Armstrong informed the House that he sms relieved of the portfolio of Labour at his own request. He had put in three of the most strenuous years of his life in that position, and had asked his colleagues to let him oft They had done this after careful consideration and with the utmost'reluctance: ... “ What about the job you have got now?” inquired'Mr Coates., “It’s none too easy either.” replied Mr Armstrong, “ but we seem to be getting along.”