POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 23352, 23 August 1939, Page 17

POLITICAL POINTS

OPPOSITION'S INFLATION DEMAND RAILWAY DELAYS HAMPER SITTING 1 F !o.m Ui)» Pa ki.ia.m k.vi m.'i Kki'outkk.j WELLINGTON, August 22. “ Inflation is always on tne lips of the Opposition, but the members of flm National Party do not object to a little inflation themselves when it suits their own interests,” said Mr Thorn (Government, Thames) in the House. He added that if the Opposition agreed with the statement in the Reserve Bank report that the granting of further accommodation to the Dairy Account would tend towards inflation, they could not logically argue for an increase in the guaranteed price. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Hamilton) : What an argument. Mr Barclay (Government, Marsdeu): You’ve got them. Mr Thorn: If they talk of an increased price it is only to pander to the interests they think will support them.

Adding that members of the Opposition made a habit of accusing the Government of 'wasteful expenditure on public works, Mr Thorn said its members could not ask the Minister concerned to increase activity in their respective electorate and then turn round and charge the Government with extravagance for having consented to these requests. Boiled down, their requests meant “ more for me and less for everybodj’ else,” a policy that was consistent with the Opposition’s idea of the good old rugged individualism.” Strange arguments were heard from the Opposition, added Mr Thorn. Its members delighted in telling the country that the Government had failed to solve the unemployment problem. They were quite ready to believe that if money were spent on the manufacture of bullets, guns, and other armaments the men had been found work, but if the public money was used to employ men in development of the nation’ll facilities and resources the Opposition considered the number of these men to be. symbolical of the spread of unemployment. Their wrong headedness was overpowering. * * * * CONTROL OF STAMPS. A measure which validates the fer, issue, and control of stamps from the Stamp Duties Office to the Post and Telegraph Department was introduced by Governor’s Message in the House. It validates the change in control which took place in 1933. The Adhesive Stamps Bill also provides for the discontinuance of tho use of dies for any purpose under the Stamp Duties Act. It comes into force on January 1 next.

RAILWAY DISLOCATION. The dislocation of railway traffic through floods in tho Te Kuiti district had the unusual effect of throwing the financial debate in the House of Representatives out of its allocated course. When tho House met at 2.30 p.m. the Clerk made the brief announcement that Mr Speaker was unavoidably absent, and the proceedings having been formally opened by the Chairman of Committees, Mr M‘Kfeen, there was, general, agreement to adjourn for’ an hour, as it was known that 13 members, including the Speaker, had just arrived after a tiring journey from the north. They had -been brought from the flooded area in a rail car with the General Manager of Railways, and its progress was timed to arrive at Wellington at 1.30 p.m., which would have given an opportunity for a meal prior to commencing the legislative work. However, a further mishap, the dropping of tho tablet near Paekakariki, caused a further 40 minutes’ delay, with resultant effect on the proceedings of tho House. The debate, when it was resumed, lacked distinctive features, and When the- House adjourned at 10.30 p.m. it was understood that the speaking list was almost exhausted, and that Mr Fraser (Acting Prime. Minister) will have the opportunity of replying for the Acting Minister of Finance tomorrow evening.

FARMER GOVERNMENTS’ RECORD. Scouting the contention of Opposition members that the Labour Government was not giving the farmers a fair deal, Mr O’Brien (Government. Westland), speaking in the financial debate, reminded them that for 16 or 17 years New Zealand had had a farmers’ Government. There had been three farmer Prime Ministers from 1912 to 1935, and the farmers had held practically every Cabinet post during that period. Nevertheless, the farmers had headed the list of bankruptcies year after year before Labour took office. “ They were all dumped,” interjected Mr Osborne (Government, Onehunga), when Mr O’Brien was enumerating the farmers who had held Ministerial rank. Mr O’Brien: The right hon. member for Hurunui does not believe it, yet he was one of the farmer Prime Ministers the farmers were doing so well under, and I remember the time when he said he would rather a “ red flag ” than a “ Reformer.” One barometer by which tho state of the country could ho gauged was the bankruptcy returns, said Mr O’Brien. During tho terms of the farmers’ Governments (1922 to 1935) the number of farmers who were declared bankrupt was 2,023. In 1922, which was a good year, 218 farmers filed in bankruptcy against 42 in 1936. Throughout the last 10 years of farmer Governments, 10 per_ cent, of the men on the land became insolvent. Those Governments had spent more time looking after the vested interests than after the small farmers, » * * « UNDERGROUND hangars FANTASTIC.

Describing as 11 fantastic and ridiculous,” a statement by Mr Dickie (National, Patea) that the hangars at the military aerodrome at Ohakea should be placed underground, Mr O’Brien (Government, Westland) said that the additional cost to carry out the suggestion would amount to approximately £1,200,000. To that sum there would have to be added the cost of installing underdround electric equipment, water supplies, drainage, and the like. “ It would be safe to assume that the additional cost of this aerodrome would be approaching £2,000,000,” ho continued. ‘‘ If the same policy were adopted with existing military aerodromes, and those in course of construction. it could be said that the additional cost would approximate £lO,000.000, and the ’dromes would take years to complete.” The estimated cost of the Ohakea undertaking under tin* present proposals was £460,000. In reply to an interjection from the Opposition benches. Mr O’Brien said lie was quoting from the official statement.

The Minister of Works: The figures have .been taken out by competent engineers. <• . ~ Mr O’Brien contended that, m the first place enemy. planes ■ would look for more important objects than ,acro(lronics. They would endeavour to ileswtotv;,, shipping.* railways, and petrol tanks, rather than take the risk ol living inland to destroy*hangars that unuld.-be empty when -they arrived, i Referring to the acrodiome being : constructed‘ lit wUi oh Mr I Dickie had said should have - been located at Te I loro, Air-O’Brien explained that it was an emergency landing.ground. The site, bad been carclully selected. -In; bad weather Kapiti Island i provided a'gofiil location guide. It was closer to Wellington by 20. minutes by * motor travel, and in future .would provide a municipal' aerodrome . for whaf would . he part of Greater • Wellington Te- UoVo would not he so easy to locale ■ from tho,air in .bad weather* and the land in the district was excellent for agricultural- purposes, its. value being from £66 to £76 an acre.■ LAND BROKING. An important amendment has been made in tho Land Transfer AmendmentBill hy the Statutes Revision Committee. which returned the measure to the House with the addition of a clause restricting the licensing of land brokers. It provides that after January 1 next, no person shall be qualified to hold a license as a land broker if he is the hohler of a license under the Land Agents’ Act, or is the partner, agent, or servant of a land agent or a director or employee of a .building society. * * A * BROADCASTS.

-Impressions of Parliament-as heard by one. of its members through- the radio ware given tp.the house by Air Burnett (National, ’Temuka). i .They were not complimentary; Everyone would agree, he said, that the decorum and dignity of the House were in.capable hands, but he was discovering that the general public did not hold the sarhe impression of-..the<Jigi)it# *of Parliament as did the members themselves. He had .occasion recently to get four days’ leave of absence,. Ho spent ope .wet. alter noon listening to the proceedings of the House over the radio, .and was amazed at tho difference of the impression lie obtained in view of his knowledge of what transpired. ‘‘lt gave the impression of a Donnybrook Fair,” declared Mr Burnett. “It .took me back forty years to the days of up-cbpntry* races, And every now and then. I was expecting to hear a shout of, ‘ a bob in.’ Though it did uot come to that, wo should give sonie thought to the broadcasting of our speeches. This is a deliberative body,' we-do not want people to turn on Parliament on the wireless in tho evening for a cheap, variety show.”

PRODUCER IN FRONT LINE. , Quoting* with approval the declaration of the-Minister of Agriculture that lie was desperately keen to see a: good producing season in view of our reliance on tho producer to meet overseas commitments. Mr Burnett (National, Temuka) remarked in the House that New Zealand paid its way through its exports of primary products. In effect, the primary producer was actually the man in the front line trenches, while the rest of the industrial and other workers could bo put down as engaged on linos of, communication. But the, front lino people were growling because they were not getting; their fair share. One might Say that the guaranteed prices mot the situation for the dairy farmer, but this was not the ease, because the scheme was .opt. of balance owing tp its failure fo make provision for increasing. costs pf production. “ There is growing discontent in the front line, trenches,” added Mr. Burnett. “ because they hold that the mfen behind, protected by industrial awards and the comfortable conditions of pqbljc works jobs, are taking too much out of the general pool in distinction to falling results to the producing exporter.”