PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23620, 5 July 1940, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THIS MORNING'S SITTING BUDGET DEBATE [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 5. When the House of Representatives met this morning Mr Fraser thanked Mr Hamilton for his congratulations and. good wishes following his appointment by the King to the Privy Council. Naturally, he said, one appreciated the high honour and confidence shown in making the appointment. The pleasure, great as it would be in ordinary circumstances, was not unmixed at the present' moment because of the war situation and the situation of the British Government and the peoples of the British Commonwealth. The additional responsibility • was great, because it made us feel that we were part of one British family, and Whatever happened in one part of the Empire affected us here. Mr Fraser expressed thanks for the help and support given him and, the Government by aj‘l sections of the House' in the critical period since September last . * Fellow. Privy Councillor Coates crossed the floor of the House and shook hands with Mr Fraser. When leave of absence was asked for Lieutenant Hultquist, Who-sis serving with the forces, Mr Coates suggested that members with the forces should be granted leave without the necessity for repeated requests-in 1 the House. Mr Fraser said the suggestion was a good one, and the Speaker, Mr Barnard, was asked to investigate the position with a view to future action in this direction. Continuing the Budget debate, Mr Cobhe discussed the position of the farmers, and said that many hard-working farmers would have difficulty in paying the taxes the Government had imposed for war purposes, but part of which he considered would be' used to keep other workers at high wage levels. Mr Morgan Williams said one of New Zealand’s great difficulties was its onesided economy. The Government had done much to correct that, and he believed the secondary industries would continue to advance. He refuted claims that the secondary industries were not on the up grade, and said that at Kaiapoi workers who had joined the forces had been replaced by girls and men, many of whom were previously on sustenance. \ RUSSIA POTENTIAL FRIEND. Mr Williams agreed with the suggestion that there should be a tax bn assets, as outlined by the member for Christchurch North, Mr Holland, but one of the biggest difficulties to be faced was that there was no meins of determining what people’s assets were. Speaking of the war situation, he held that there was no heed for pessimism, and drew a parallel between-the events of to-dav and those of Napoleonic times. The position was definitely more in our favour at present. He said a great number of people were turning eyes to Russia, and there was a good deal of wishful thinking going on; hut, personally, he thought Russia might come in on our side. During the Napoleonic wars, 'Russia had saved Europe, and he believed the same would happen to-day if we could get rid of our suspicions of that nation,'and lea ve her to manage her own internal affairs. ■ " WATERFRONT CONTROL. : Mr Jull suggested amalgamation of the two New Zealand broadcasting services, and said if there was any doubt, about who was to he -in charge the two directors or controllers : should ■ toss up for it. There was a clamant need for the Government to take into account heavy expenditure in times like the present. • Referring to waterfront control, Mr Jull drew attention to the appointment of three control commissioners,, local controllers, and superintendents, and the salaries they were receiving. The point he wished to know was what the Government had paid and the terms and conditions of tuc purchase of a certain stevedoring business in this city. He considered that the appointments that the Minister had made were the most outrageous ever made _ in this country. It was a most-one-sided commission. / . Mr Jull also' criticised the contract system on the waterfront and also the Government’s handling of the coal strike and the position on the West Coast., The debate was interrupted by the adjournment- at 1 p.m.