N.Z. WAR SUPPLIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20635, 15 August 1941, Page 2

N.Z. WAR SUPPLIES

IDISPATCH TO INDIA •'FINANCE PROGRAMME - BILL PASSES HOUSE (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. " Continuing the second-reading debate ori the Finance Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday, Mrs. C. Stewart (Lab., Wellington West) appealed for an increase of 5 per cent in- tlie age benefits paid to elderly people- to bring them into line with the 5 per cent wage increases paid to workers generally, The Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, outlining the part New Zealand was playing in the work of the Eastern Group Supply Council at Delhi, by supplying large quantities of equipment and footstuffs, said that actually the productive industry of New Zealand was going all out in supplying the requirements of India and other parts of. the Commonwealth. It was surprising what the Dominion had been able to do. New Zealand was playing a most creditable part in supplying foodstuffs and army stores, and, apart from equipping her own soldiers, she was helping to equip the soldiers of the res! of the Empire. education Expenditure The Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, referring to the Opposition criticism of the expenditure on education, said it had been demonstrated that indiscriminate cutting down by the previous Government had left the country far behind in many forms of activity. Particularly was this noticeable regarding public schools, and the mischief that accumulated during the depression years in this respect had not yet been made good. The position was the same in regard to housing, and there was still an acute problem. Mr. Mason also referred to the criticism of the quality of butter bding retailed in the Dominion. The Government, he said, had done everything possible to switch over from blitter production to cheese, and what was the use of chiding the Administration for any excess of butter. Mr. Nash replied to the debate when the House resumed in the evening. Speaking of the outline of the war expenses account which had been given by the Hon. A. Hamilton the previous evening, he stated that the latter had said it had fitted in with the Government policy that half the amount of revenue in the account should come from loan moneys and the other half from taxation and other sources. War Expenditure Another way of expressing the position, said the Minister, would have been, to have said that £19,500,000 had been found from loans because £5,000,000 had been repaid, and £24,500,000 had come from war taxation, with £31500,000 from appropriations, etc. The sum actually expended up to July 31 this year was £41,935,000. The” Minister said that Mr. J. A. Lee (Dem. Lab., Grey Lynn) bad given a discourse on debt, stating that we should not come out of this conflict with a big load of debt. It was one thing to say this and another to advocate a method of doing it. said Mr. Nash. The economic position was that members of the forces must have first consideration and, in-' evitably, the civilian population must have less if the supply to the forces was to be at its maximum. Therefore, the way to help the war effort and to' ensure our forces and those of the Empire had', the battledress they required was for the people in New Zealand to make their clothes last twice as long. He agreed that, if practicable, a way could be found of paying for the war as we went along, it was desirable to do so. The till passed the second reading and the House began to consider it in committee stages. Market for New Zealand Produce Speaking on the short title, Mr. H. G.' Dickie (Nat., Patea) said he had just received an air-mail letter from Egypt stating that the only New Zealand product that could be purchased on the Egyptian market was beer. He had been informed that the Australian Trade Commissioner in Egypt was pushing the sale of Australian products for all he was worth, and Australian commodities were readily available there. A while ago, said Mr. Dickie, he had mentioned the use in-New Zealand canteens in Egypt of Australian edible margarine. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. J. G. Barclay: They do not make margarine here. Mr. Dickie: Oh, yes, they do. They make margarine for use for pastrycooks and the like. The _ manufacturer has tried to get a license for making edible margarine, but lie cannot get it. .-Continuing, Mr. Dickie said that wit i so many transports and steamers going to Egypt, he thought the least, th/.t could be done was for some of ou r butter to be sent to Egypt for our tr* ops. 'The short title was passed.at 9.40. Rapid progress was made in committer, the only amendments being three me ved by the Minister of a machinery ch: iracter. The bill was passed in committee and was read the third time without discussion. The House rose at 10.20 p,n’-. till 10.30 a.m. on Friday. *