THE BUDGET DEBATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1912, Page 6

THE BUDGET DEBATE

TELEGRAMS

AN ATTACK AND A REPLY.

MR RUSSELL’AND MR FISHER.

(bi telegraph.—per press association.)

WELLINGTON, August 9.

On'the Premier’s motion to go into Committee of Ways and Means in the House this evening, Mr G. W. Russeil (Avon) rose and congratulated the Minister for Finance upon the speed with which the Budget had been brought down. The Budget marked an epoch in the politics of the country. He reviewed the prosperity of the country since the Liberal Party had come into power, twenty-one years ago. The underlying principle of the Party was the attack on monopolies, and he instanced the State Fire Insurance and the State Coal Mines. He referred to the position of the present Government. They’ were not justified in holding the Treasury benches, he said. According to the voting of the people of the country 114,000 votes were cast against the Party now in power. The change of Government was due to four members of the Liberal Party changing from that Party to the Reform Party. He then dealt with the Ministry, five of whom, he said, were residents of Wellington. The West Coast of both Islands was unrepresented, and further, there was na representative of the small farming interest in the Ministry. THE LAND QUESTION. Referring to the Massey Government s land proposals, Mr Russell said the Prime Minister would experience a good deal of effort and energy before he could improve upon the existing laws, and place more people on the land than had been placed there during the past few years. The change of government, however, he said, would not do much harm. The young people of the country were growing up and did not know Liberalism from Conservatism, except by name. Before six months had passed the people would find out what was going on. They would find the rate of interest going up and unemployment becoming rampant. He asked how it was that the Hon. A. L. Herdman held the portfolio of Attor-ney-General, while Mr H. D. Bell, who was a K.C., senior of the Bar in New Zealand, held a comparatively minor .portfolio. He would watch what was going to happen with regard to the Crown Law OffiiV with great interest. The creation of that office had been the cause of the malignant hostility shown to Sir Joseph Ward in Wellington. Mr Bell: “You bad bettor be careful.” Mr Russell, continuing, said there had I been grave charges against the Ward Government of maladministration, reckless borrowing and wasteful expenditure. In what respect, he asked, did the policy I (as far as principle w'as concerned) of the . present Government differ from the policy j of the late Government ? The land policy I of the Massey Government was wild and ; reckless. The whole of the proposals in the Budget had been stolen from the Mackenzie Government. The Reform 1 Party had talked of the increase in the i Graduated land tax, but the tax proposed m the Budget onlv affected 198 persons. I DEALING WITH LOANS. | Mr Russell forecasted that the amount that would require to be borrowed by the j Ministry would bo £4,500,000 in the next j twelve months. There would be, accord- ! ing to the Budget, an increase in the exj penditure of £414,000 as compared with 1911, The Budget looked at matters from a farmers’ standpoint and the Governj ment was a free trade party and dare not j consider industrial matters, or the trade and commerce of the country. The BudI get contained nothing about land for the j landless. MR FISHER IN REPLY.

The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said the Member for Avon was unstable, unreliable and, as a member of a party, was untrustworthy. Mr Fisher traversed Mr Russell’s statement as to the pending unemployement. It was, he said, without foundation. He drew attention to the fact that the Estimates brought down by his Partv had been prepared by the Mackenzie 6overnment. They had not had time to effect any material alterations. As far as Mr Russell’s reference to the Hon. Hon. F. H. D. Bell and the Hon. A. L. Herdraan were concerned, Mr Fisher said his Party w T as to be congratulated upon having such able men in their Party. They bad two men who were able to take the portfolio of Attorney-General, whereas the Mackenzie Party had not got one to occupy the position. Mr Russell had spoken of the geographical distribution of Ministers, but Mr Fisher referred him to the Mackenzie Cabinet of which he was a member, and which contained four Canterbury members. Ho congratulated Mr Massey on departing from the geographical distribution—a doctrine which was unsound. Another matter referred to by Mr Russell was the Graduated Land Tax. Mr Fisher informed the House that 371 persons would be affected by the tax, not the number mentioned by Mr Russell. Mr Fisher then referred to the Vancouver mail service, and stated that the £20,000 subsidy paid by New Zealand was going to be spent in the interests of this country. His party was going to lay the whip on the backs of the monopoly, and he could say that some members on the other side of the House were not going to have protection any longer. GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS. Ouo reform Mr Fisher said bis Government was going to carry out was that the State service would not be underpaid. The system of appointment and promotion by Ministerial favour was going to cease. The day of those things was over. Political patronage and political touting was a thing of the past. The Minister dealt exhaustively with the expenditure of public money. Ho instanced the amounts which had been spent upon public buildings in Wellington. Ou Parliament Buildings alone, he said, £93,796 hod been expended. Since the fire £14,430 had been expended in alterations to the present chamber, £20,122 on the old wing, £52,000 on the new Government House and £7,244 on Parliamentary works now going on in connection with the new House and not a brick had been laid. They could have bad a new Parliament House for that amount. The country at large was crying for reform. The continuous Ministry had hoodwinked the manufacturers of the country in regard to the Customs tariff. The inaction and apathy of the late Ministry had left the manufacturers standing where they were to : day. The Budget of the Government has been favourably received by commonsense people of the, country, dhe Minister continued. 'lt was accepted as a plain, unvarnished policy of' a Government which intended to carry out every? thing’ therein. The humanitarian .legislation had been included in the policy,.arid in'justice to old soldiers they were receiving .special 'attention. Dealing with THE CONDUCT OF THE DEPART'i ’ • MENTS, ■ • C ' •' ;i ■■ Mr ' Fisher ,mentioned;; that the firm of Mac Alister, jn Invercargill; had by Ministerial favour in the past, received all the; work in connection with the’ Government Insurance . Department in, that, town. That manner ‘ of conducting* public business was to cease, and the departments were to be run on business line's/The-old system of letting tenders,before .theywerc advertised 'was at an end. AIT tenders would now be called for publicly and" let in the ' proper manner in future. While the Reform Government remained in office no. special' consideration* would be. shown to friends of the Ministry or special. persons on account of lineage or birth or connection. Everyone would be *ou a level. Merit alone would..count. Mr D. H. Guthrie (Oroua) moved the adjournment at 10.40 p.m. and the House rose. , ■ ■ ’ , . * , ,„t. '; ■.. >-f