OUT OF HIS TURN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 28 February 1929, Page 9

OUT OF HIS TURN

| LAND SETTLEMENT PRIME MINISTER’S CORRECTION. COLLEAGUE’S PRIVATE OPINION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AVELLINGTON, Feb. 27. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph AVuirxi, had occasion, when speaking at the manufacturers’ dinner here, to-day, to gently take to task or colleague, the Hon! E. A. Ransom, Minister lor Lubiiio Works, tor discussing huid settlement policy and taxation in advance of the Government’s decisions on these important questions. Sir- Joseph took a .general .tone, possibly because he ■reheats that it is 'better to have Ministers with ideas, even if they are occasionally indiscreet enough to anticipate the policy decisions of their colleagues as a Cabinet team. The Prime Minister told his audience that the remarks of the Minister .of Public AYorks regarding land settlement and taxation, as reported in the press from Rotorua, where made by the Minister privatdiy as his own personal opinion. ‘ ‘The" Minister / of Lands,” continued Sir Joseph,” has been engaged in going around New Zealand with a view (to getting information in regard to lands, and when he is in a position to do so, he will report fully to Cabinet. Nothing; whatever re gar din & the purchase of estates can be undertaken until the Hon. G. AV. Forbes. has fully completed his investigation®. Neither is it contemplated to put unemployed! on scrub. cutting, which is -a cllaiss of work not suitable of those out of empi'oyment,” The Prime Minister also reassured bis business audience regarding his colleague’s remarks on taxation, • declaring that nothing in regard to possible changes in taxation had been considered, -and would, not be just at present. He did not wish to create any element of uncertainty in their minds, as they would naturally ho concerned as to what might be done in future. ‘‘When the time arrives for consideration of this important and! difficult matter,’ concluded Sir .Joseph Ward, the .Minister of. Finance must necessarily, go into the question ,of export, and the resul’ts of his . investigations and eroppsais for taxation wilil appear ( in the usual place, the Budget, for ,presensation to members of Parliament who are entitled, to know first. .1 make these remarks, not with any personal feeling, but because one finds it attunes necessarv to do so.”