BUDGET DEBATE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 August 1924, Page 4

BUDGET DEBATE.

* 7 ANOTHER DAY’S TALK. LAND GAMBLING. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 7. Parliament spent another day debating the Budget, the discussion on which began last Tuesday week. Mi,' A. L. Monteit-h (Wellington East) condemned the Budget. Dealing with the land question, he declared land gambling was the curse of our existence. It meant that what- one man made another paid for and had to suffer for it. It meant loiig hours, high annual charges and slavery for the farmer and his family. WEat a tfifference between this Budget and .that introduced by Mr Philip Snowden •in Britain! Here concessions were given right and left to the .wealthy, but in. Britain concessions were made which would benefit the common people, otherwise no change was to be made. Mr J. A. McPherson (Oamaru) advocated borrowing large sums of cheap money for development works. Mr A. R. ’Wright (Wellington Suburbs) deprecated lavish borrowing. The time would come when we must: taper off borrowing. It could not ga on indefinitely at the same rate, and he did not believe that if either a. Liberal or Labour Government was on the Treasury benches it would pursue an unlimited borrowing policy. Mr D G. Sullivan (Avon) said Mr isitt had said that the Labour Party stood for lessened production, but lie never said a word about the decision of Canterbury farmers not to grow wheat unless they got the price they wanted. This was a case in which the bread of the 1 people was concerned. He quoted the production of coal by New Zealand miners, which he claimed was a record for the world. He denied that any responsible leader of Labour had ever advocated confiscation. What Labour advocated was not reduced production. but better distribution of the fruits of production, and this, they claimed could be done in a perfectly constitutional mannetr. Coming to the Budget, lie said it was probably the dullest thing in the way "of a Budget/ ever submitted to Parliament. Mr Massey : “You want something red.” The debate was continued till after midnight, when the House adjourned till 2.30 p.m.t