PARLIAMENT

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1925, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

POINTED PARS. .. T want to enter my emphatic prn test ligniust the way in which tha wages of the labour of the useful people of this country are being fixed at the present time. It is nn iasult to the sense of dignity of every working mm in this country to have his wages fixed to the farthing. In award after award we see increases of a farthing per hour, mid the members of the Admi.listration which is responsible for that are smiling to themselves about the task that is before the Labour Party in placing a valuation upon tho productive use of land Li New Zealand. The very Government which says it is impossible to value laud on its productive value will value, labour power down to a farthing per hour in 20 minutes. —IV. E. Furry (Aueklaud EentralL Why do the struggling settlers require assistance) Because they are not able to meet the toll that the mortgagee is taking from them in the sh.ipe of interest. And the Reform Tarty says nothing can be done for them. The honourable member need not ask the question as to why tho settlers are struggling—there is the proof. The honourable member for Waitonio sold that the settlers in his constituency desired assistance from tho State, as they could not spend £1 an acre to manure their land. AVhv is that 7 Bo'•au«e they cannot pay their interest n i present land values and. in addition, uay for manure for their land, 'fhot is one of the causes of trouble that beset the man struggling oa the bind. Then we hear a lot about the question of the security of tenure. If freehold is sound, why is it there was a lees of £2,300,000 on our soldier settlements? —A. L. Monteith (»ellingtou East).

A fruiterer in Dunedin —a frier.it of mine—has been in his shop for a number of years. At on® time h<- paid £.l a week rent. Then the Inndlorl raised the rent to £5, then to £7, and to-day that tenant is paying £l5 lor that shop. Because of the industry ol that particular fruiterer, the land on which that shop stands has gone up la value to possibly four or five times what it originally was, and he is laying increased rent accordingly. Nv turally, he cannot give the price ho gave for apples 20 years ago. As I have pointed out to some of my friends who come to Dunedin from t rchards in Central Otago, where they are trying to make a living, that is how a proportion of their profit is lost. The orihardists of Central Otago, when th-V scud fruit by rail, are i.i tho same position as the Nelson orchardists when they scud fruit by sea —the land-values in the cities react on the price of commodities. The laud values re act on all commodities, whether fruit, vegv tables, or meat, or nny other kind.— J. Munro (Dunedin North*.