Turned the Corner

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 179, 14 July 1927, Page 6

Turned the Corner

Better Times Ahead. MEMBER FOR HAWKE'S BAY CONFIDENT IMPORTANT QUESTIONS DEALT WITH. (Special to “Tribune.”) Parlt Buildings, July 14. Speaking in the House of Representatives Mr. H. M. Campbell dealt briefly with several matters of importance at the present time. me said he thought the country had turned the corner and would soon see better times. Everyone had been living beyond their means, and that was the source of all the trouble to-day. Totalisator returns showed that there was more cash available for investment from cities than from the country. Cheap money, he considered, was a mixed blessing, because the only one to benefit was the first one to get in. The State Advances Office had had the effect of driving millions of British capital out of the country Money had formerly been available from ordinary channels at 4) per cent. Apart from very small investments the old system of private borrowing was superior to the State advances system. CONTROL OPPOSED. He opposed all the control schemes, particularly the Butter Board, which had resulted in a loss of £2,000,000 to the producers. The meat levy in the last four years (£120,000) would pay interest on £2.000,000 and that would be very handy to the farm X's just now. The tendency towards socialisation had been responsible lor a great deal of harm, and that was why he resolutely opposed ccutrol schemes. RAILWAY EXPENDITURE. It was very questionable whether the country was justified in spending so much money on railways, said Campbell. Some railway construction might very well be stopped, particularly the Napier-Gisborne line. A good concrete road at a cost of £5090 per mile would be of much greater service than a railway at a cost of £25,000 to £30,000 a mile. Some very costly viaducts would have to be kuilt. TAXATION. In regard to taxation, he urged that reductions should be made in the interests of the country people. A slight decrease in Customs taxation would probably not lead to any disaster. The Arbitration Court system was not working satisfactorily and something should be done. Last year serious harm had been caused by the freezing strike. With the deletion of the preference to unionists clause and other modifications the Court might be made to work well.

Mr. Campbell alluded to the limitation of killings which was ordered by the union bosses, and said that sort of thing should be stopped. Mr Campbell thought that it was too much to ask settlers to put up metallic circuit, telephone lines. The cost was prohibitive, and people should receive some assistance in this connection from the Government