DEBATE FLAGGING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20008, 5 August 1939, Page 5

DEBATE FLAGGING

CRITICS OF THE BUDGET KEEN EDGE TONED OFF ILLNESS OF PREMIER DAY’S FOUR SPEAKERS (Parlifiniimtnry Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The financial debate in the House of Representatives is obviously flagging. It follows so closely on the Address-in-Reply discussion, that members have not had time to prepare much fresh material and the whips have been busy organising a programme. Two speakers yesterday admitted they 'had not been able to make adequate preparation. Necessarily, the arguments follow closely on the lines of the four weeks’ continuous discussion just ended. No doubt the 'Prime Minister’s serious illness lias „ toned off the keen edge,of political criticism. Yesterday’s speakers were Mr. .T. A. Roy (Nat., Clutha), and Mr. R. M, MacFarlane (Lab., Christchurch South), Mr. H. Atmore (Ind., Nelson) and Mr. S. G. Holland (Nat., Christ church North). The last-named, contrasting the estimated cost of the promised benefits under the social security with the actualities of the votes submitted with the Financial Statement, claimed that the Opposition critics had been correct when they predicted the scheme would break down under its own financial weight. The debate goes on next week.