MR. J. O’BRIEN. M.P.

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1925, Page 2

MR. J. O’BRIEN. M.P.

AT HOKITIKA ——-; f PRE.SESSIONzYL ADDRESS. HOKITIKA, June 16. Last night the member for Westland, Air J. O’Brien, M.P. delivered a. pre.sessional address, at the Opera House, llokißika. The Mayor, Mr G. A. Perry presided, and in opening the meeting said there was no need for him to introduce Air O’Brien, who was well-known to the audience. He asked thgt Air O’Brien lie given an impartial hearing. Air O’Brien, in rising to speak was received with applause. Tie said that the political situation at the present time was keenly interesting. Tt wajs such. that every j\ I ember of Parliament should be delivering pre.sessional addresses and making; his position clear to the electors, lie 'would give the audience a- brief review of the past two sessions of Parliament. When elected he expected to meet eighty men who would watch every move of the political machine, but he found that important legislation was dealt with in the small hours of the morning, when most of the members •'were, asleep. HJc had seen important bills discussed, when outside of the Labour members there were not five people awake in the House. There was a large number of Bills brought down each year, but there was generally one measure that mattered, and which the Government were anxious to pass. 'l'he other Bills seemed to him to In* paddling for the one Bill that was ncecssady. So it was in 1923 when the most important legislation the Government brought forward was the Land and Income Tax Bill which benefited the wealthy taxpayer of the Dominion to the extent of two million sterling annually. This Bill was fought only by the Labour Party. The Liberal Party which was supposed to put up an effective opposition to the Bill were hopelessly inefticient. so much that the “New Zealand Times’’ a staunch Liberal newspaper, stated in a. loading article that tin* Liberal Party had absolutely failed in their duty. And the Teal Liberal attitude was taken up by the Labour Party. Of course the Liberal Party had been supporting the Reform Party for several years: but they had douc so in a way ealcu. latcd to fool the public From tin > to linn* a number of them crossed over to vote with the Government to save them from defeat. If the diw sion lists were examined they would show that at some time or other every member of the present Liberal Party had. supported the Reform Party on some occasion or other. Ami -t " n ’ witjh the. assistance of the Liberals that the income tax reductions were made in 1923. The two million r> duction to ihe very wealthiest people in the Dominion could not. be put through, without some offset in t m way of legislation. And those respon. sible for the reductions knew this. Therefore they had to offer the people something. To keep the electors (| „iet the Slate Advances Amendment Bill was brought down. This Bill was in workers to build supposed to assist their own homes if they could find five per cent, of the cost of land and build, ir.g. There was :i shortage of 24,099 bonuses in New Zealand and it "as stated by the late "Prime Minister ■that do' Bi)i would' overcome; the shortage. The farmers who were in the hands of the moneylenders were also tn be assisted. The Bill woidd milldi- the State Advone.-s Department to take over existing mortgages and save the farmers from bankruptcy. The Bill was passed by the House: but when .-.pplientions were made J<- tlm State Advances Department it was found there was no money tn meet the :,ppli< ntions. Consequently the people v.a.Tited homes ami those who wanted relief from the money-lenders were sadly disappointed. In a httK over twelve months applications worn rereived by the State Advances T)c purlnmnt totalling over twenty one millions, and all the loans’ granted were just over two millions. So it came about that while the wealthy tax. pavers made sure that they were relieved to the extent of two millions annually by the reductions other people who wanted relief got little or none. In the 1924 session the wealthy sheep farmers and income tax payers were not satisfied but came to the House again for another cut. They were given another million. This time an increase in pensions was the bait held out to keep the ordinary people quiet and again the wealthy made sure, but the pensioners did not fare as well as was expected. The old age pensioners wore supposed to ho given an extra. 2s 6d per week, but the clause in the Bill that gave it to them was so worded that hardly an old age pensioner in the Dominion would have received the increase. The clause read that only an old age pensioner who had neither property nor income could receive the pension. And no matter how poor a man was he generally had a little money or property. Therefore almost everyone was disqualified. See. in" the position, Cabinet introduced a regulation, which allowed the increase io be given to old pensioners who had not more then £25 ‘'in property, and had an income of not more than £G pci annum. Then the Department probed into the financial affairs of the old people to sec if the increase could be with-held. He knew of sonic half-a_ dojen old pioneers had been ie_

fused the pension because they were living in huts that did not belong to them. The Department held that they were living “rent free” and that was equal to an income of £l3 per annum. Consequently the increases were rented. The widows pension was increased by 2s fid for each child under the age Li, and for the first time in New Zealand history, the principle of pen. sions for the blind was established. The Labour Party were prevented from amending the Pensions Amendment Bill by the Alinister of Pensions threatening to withdraw the Bill if there was any obstruction. And in the interests of the widows and the blind people they had to let the unsatisfactory Bill go through. While in these fwo years the wealthy taxpayers received rebates in taxation totalling Iliree million annually there was very little given to the majority of the people. If the income taxpayers were treated worst* than elsewhere in the 1 Empire, there might In* some excuse | for the reductions. Bui the “Y r ear | Book” showed that a taxpayer in New I Zealand in receipt of £406 a year paid £.”> 12s per annum; while in New South Wales the tax was £ll 6s Sd; Vie. toria £9 19s Id: Quei'nsland £L”> 16s: South Australia £l2 Us 9d, and Great Britain £l5 3s 4d. If a taxpayer received £lOOO a yt*ar the taxation worked out as follows: New Zealand. £54: N.S.W. £B3 15s lid: Victoria. £l6 18s : sd: Queensland £lO3 3s sd: South Ausjlralia £65 7s fid, and Great Britain l£l2fi Ils 3d. These figures showed i that the Dominion taxpayer was very I much better off than if he lived else, 'where in the. colonies or the Alother .Country. 'l'he condition of the country was almost the same as it was in | 1890 when the old time Liberals tour. jed the country in their attempt to try land lift the people out of poverty, i They wore attacked by the Capitalist | Ltoss from one end of New Zealand |to the other and alluded to as tlu* i “'Seven Devils of Socialism.” How | over they won at the Polls and insti_ I luted reforms which made the condi. I tion of the people very much better. ' In time the old Liberals went out, and i the time camo when Cabinet ATinisters resigned their positions because the Parly had sold its principles. The Partv gradually went to pieces. Then came the Reform Party with its promises of “the freehold.” The farmers accepted them as real friends: but after 13’ years of office the farmers disI covered they had a “mortgage hold’’ ‘and wore merely tin* serfs of the money-lenders. The farmers wore tired of the two old parties, and were turning to the T.nbnnr Party for support. 'Mi- O’Brien then dealt with the present political situation, and said ho was sure an agreement would be come | to between the Reformers and the I.i_ i berals, and said he welcomed such a I coalition because the sham fight would •at last be over. lie said reports from Franklin showed that the Labour can- . didate there. Air Montgomerie, was 1 putting up a great fight with every . I chance of success. Labour was adI vancing rapidly. The Party had doubl.. led its representation last General i I Election and he was sure that they j wrmld also double it at the -next elec, ' tion if they did not gain a majority at 'the Poll. When they came into office I they would deal with the housing preJl.iem, pensions, and place taxation on ithe shoulders of those best able to I bear it. (Applause). I Mr O’Brien was asked whether the ] Labour Party favoured the 99 years 'lease. Ho answered that the land ten, ! ure of the Labour Party was one of l occupancy and use, which would pre, I vent anyone holding land for speculai five purposes. I Question: Was Mr O’Brien in favour i of protecting the sub-contractor Au, j swer: There should be no such tiring ■as sub-contractors. One man had no i right to take a contract and then let i it to another at a profit. 1 Mr D. Grcaney moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr O’Brien which was ■carried enthusiastically, and a rote of thanks to His Worship for presiding brought the meeting to a close. Woo'i.’ Great Pepnermint Cure firs* Mid for roi’-hs. colds -nd infiu