WORK NOT HOT AIR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22427, 6 September 1947, Page 3

WORK NOT HOT AIR

AID FOR_BRITAIN TAXATION CUTS URGED LABOUR OPPOSITION (P.R.) WELLINGTON, Sept. G. ‘‘What we want is a little bit of work and good management and not a lot of hot air,” said Mr. A. S. Sutherland (Oppos.. Hauraki) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon in referring to the aid-to-Britain campaign. Mr. Sutherland was the first speaker in the Budget debate after the I.C. and A. Amendment Bill had been passed. There had been very little done, so far as he could see. said Mr. Sutherland, in the direction of planting cereals. He felt sure (hat many producers would continue to do their best, but if the target were to be reached someone would have to get a bustle on. Mr. Sutherland maintained that given a reasonable price farmers in the South Island would grow a lot more oats and a great deal more barley if the necessary incentive were given. Much more feed for pigs would be grown and the amount of pork made available to Britain be greatly increased. It. was time that taxation was lowered and the country came back to a peacetime level, ho said. Under the vicious system of carrying wartime taxation into the peacetime economy, people who worked hard were not getting the benefit of that work.

. Opposition to the reduction of taxation until the arrears of maintenance and construction work wore overtaken was expressed by Mr. A. C. Baxter (Govt.. Raglan). When people were prepared to win votes by reducing

taxation, he said, it was tantamount to “political prostitution.” War responsibilities had not ceased when hostilities ceased, and he did not want to see taxation reduced until the country had caught up with deferred work end people were getting the services they deserved.