BUDGET

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1941, Page 6

BUDGET

PROS & CONS Of National Government [Per Press Association) PAKLIAIVIJLiN L iSL.DOrb., J Uly 18. Tne uuugeL ueoate was eunLuueu to-uay Dy Mrs U. Stewart vvennigton West), who sum that Mr iNasn s task in preparing tne budget was snnpie, compared witn me joo of a woman aea.ing with ner home budget, ine Minister ot r'mance wu», alter all, using ocner people's money. She paid a trioute to the soundness of tne present Budget, stating tnat women were probaDiy more critical than men of any Government in onice. She could say coniidently that tn fi women of New Zealand, knew how much better they were oif since Labour had taken office, and she would remind the House that, despitp their lack of so-called business knowledge, women were greater realists than men so far as economic matters were concerned. Mrs Stewart also reviewed the pait played by women in war work, they were shouldering their responsibilities nobly, and were giving tneir help in every possible way to assist in winning the war. Mr G. G. z Harker (Nat., Waipawa), said it would' be a blessing to New Zealand when the day dawned and we had a Government which ki.-?w no party politics. He stresses the growing increase in crime in the Dominion, despite the fact that Members on the Government benches stated ove r and over again that New Zealand had never been more prosperous. The Government, thought of social security in the terms of more food, drink and better clothes. It was usual for crime to diminish after a depression, but in this case, the natural order had been inverted. A spirit of license was abroad instead of the spirit of liberty, of which New Zealand in the past had been so proud to boast. In ten years from 1931 to 1940, the cases of juvenile crime in New Zealand increased froin over two thousand to over five thousand. He criticised the sex education broadcasts from Australia by the Director of Commercial Broadcasting Mr W. M. C. Denham (Govt., Invercargill) said that in the provision of men and money on a pro-rata basis. New Zealand's war effort, was greater even than that of England herself, and greater than any of the other Dominions.

“We have been asked whether our war effort is comnarabie to that or the Old Country,’- said Mr Denham. “It is not to the extent that London has been bombed and torn to pieces, and there has been destruction of houses and loss of life, which we have not, and I hope will not have in New Zealand. From that point of view our effort is not comparable, but in provision of men and mone-v our effort is greater pro rata.” Mr Denuam characterised the budget as a record of achievement, and referring to the national unity issue said that while people were going round the country deprecating the Labour Government, it. was no use saying that party politics must.ceas° PARLIAMENT BLDGS.. Julv 18. Mr J. Thorn (Govt., Thames), continued the Budget debate in the House at 2.30. Speaking of the Op-. position’s plea for a National Govern- I ment, he said that, outside of the British Isles, there was no National Government in an-- part of the British Commonwealth. The nearest approach to such Government was that which at the present time was in of-; flee in New Zealand. After congra- i tulating the Acting-Prime Minister. on his Budget, Mr Thorn said he noticed that there had been no enthusiasm displayed for it amongst the ( members of the Opposition. They diet 1 not seem to have appreciated the Minister’s statement that taxation j was not to be increased, and they appeared to be sad when the addition- I al Social Security benefits were mentioned. After criticising the Leader of the Onposition’s Budget speech, he asked Mr Holland if there were any truth in the recent statement in the ( newspaper, “The Standard” to the ef- ' feet that the Leader of the Opposition is being paid one thousand pounds a year bv certain interests, nlus £650 travelling expenses, to ! keen out of the War Cabinet. Mr Holland: “There is not a tittle 1 of truth in it.” Mr Thorn said that he could do no- ' thing but accept Mr Holland’s de- J nial. I

Mr I. A. Roy (Nat Clutha), expressed complete disagreement with a statement made by the Minister ot Health (Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer), in Auckland, recently, that he knew nothing more calculated to split and disrupt the people than the formation of a National Government. He (Mr Roy) could think .nothing more calculated to split and tear the country asunder than the general election. He would say unhesitatingly that the Government would be very wise to reconsider the whole position. The question of a National Government was for the Government to decide, but he knew of members of Unions who thought there strnila be a National Government. He refused to believe that the resolutions that had been passed up and down the country bv certain unions represented one hundred per cent, or the Labour people in New Zealand. They represented a sellish element, which, he was sorry to say, appeared to be putting party before country, and that was wrong. Mr Roy dealt with the question of appeals from military service, which, he said, was becoming a ramp. Returned soldiers were quite right when they said that the time had arrived when there should be a halt. He agreed that those who objected to service should not object to being put on Army rates of pay and conditions. He put in a plea for higher rates of pay for the rank and file of the army. Mr C. Morgan Williams 'Govt., Lgaiapoi), .said .the Leader of the Opposition had mentioned the Government’s insulation policy. This was still definitely in operation. He referred to the case of the apple growers. The Government was aware that it could not protect the whole of New Zealand from the effects of the war, but the effect of the insulation policy had been to see that the shock of overseas conditions should not be borne by one section of the community. and that had been done. The House adjourned at 5.25 until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. |