PARLIAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 212, 21 August 1931, Page 9

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTIVES BUDGET DEBATE DRAGS ON. FIVE MORE SPEECHES. Wellington, Aug. 20. The Budget debate was continued in the House to-day. Mr A. M. Samuel (Thames) said the present conditions in New Zeeland Sailed for an effort on the part of everyone in the direction of rehabilitation. While a fusion of parties was not possible, there was no reason why all sides should not co-operate whole heartedly. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) complained of the manner in which machinery had been used by owners. He said machinery, instead of proving a boon to workers by alleviating their tasks and improving their conditions, had been employed in such a way as to force starvation upon many. The trouble was not created by the machinery itself, but by those in whose hands its ownership rested. Mr Munns had criticised the system by which workers obtained radio sets, pianos, etc., on time payment. Mr Parry considered there was no reason why working people should not have all these things if the owners of industry would only increase their employees’ incomes in ratio with their added power to produce. POLITICAL HUMBUG. Continuing this evening, Mr Parry said Mr Samuel had accused the Labour party of complete insincerity and at the same time as he was criticising Labour in such a severe manner he was also stressing the need for the co-operation of all sides of the House. Mr Parry characterised this as political humbug. Mr E. F. Healy (Wairau) said he agreed with Mr Parry that workers should have wireless sets as long as they could afford to pay for them. He considered one of the disturbing elements of the present day was the enormous amount of goods sold on the time payment system. Mr Healy referred to a number of American produced goods used daily by the average business man. and declared that the average New Zealand fanner was worse. Tho majority of farm imple. ments were of American manufacture, and it was matter for extreme regret that the market for farm implements made in New Zealand had been lost to such an extent. They had been replaced in many instances by cheap trash from overseas.

Remarking that South Island full cream cheese had suffered enormously as a result of the overseas marketing of the standardised product of the North Island. Mr Healy said he was glad there was to be a return to full cream cheese throughout the Dominion. Standardised cheese had been one of the greatest disasters to that industry in Now Zealand. Mr Healy defended the construction of the South Island main trunk railway. NO CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHT. Mr D. Jones (Mid-Canterbury) said an alarming feature of the Budget was that the Government appeared to think there was some inexhaustible source of private revenue to meet taxation, when it should be clear that this was incorrect. Every further turn of tho screw was putting existing business and farmers out of action and increasing unemployment, while there was no constructive thought to increase production or effect such economies that would enable the Dominion to balance private and public budgets of the future. The people would not object to endeavouring to carry increased burdens if there was any ray of light in the future. He believed tho time limit for the new custonis duties must cause serious dislocation of business, and asked who would import in the last six months of the period during which tho increased duties ap plied. A further disturbing factor in the customs regulations was that they would furthar upset the fiscal policy of the Dominion. The effect on existing industries and tho necessity tor giving protection where it would bo most effective as fat as unemployment was concerned had been abandoned, and the question of obtaining revenue appeared to be the dominant I factor, Ho considered it quite clear

the estimates of customs revenue in the Budget would not be realised and that the Budget next year would show probably as great a deficiency as the present one. ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. The Hon. J. B. Donald declared that at a serious time like the present the country expected more cohesion and constructive criticism arid would not approve of members simply flinging names at each other. Referring to taxation, he said he considered the increase in income tax was sufficiently high. However, he would prefer to see death duties done away with and income tax increased to make up for the loss. He agreed with Mr Jull that the principle underlying death duties was not a good one. Mr Donald said it had been suggested to him that a comprehensive Empire economic conference should be called to deal with problems of the day and the idea had impressed him as well worthy of the Government’s consideration. He considered that if every party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and every party in all other British Parliaments were to be invited to such a conference the pressure that would be brought to bear by such a conference would make the United Kingdom and other British countries come into line and put into effect such remits as might be agreed upon great good might well accrue from such a course. THE MATSON LINE. Referring to the Matson line, Mr Donald said he hoped a little more discretion would be applied to criticisms of the venture. He held no brief for the line, nor had he any wish to see the Unior Steamship Company injured, but the Dominion should not stand in the way of progress. Competitiop had already Improved the service and he predicted that the time was not far distant when America would absorb more of New Zealand’s products than at present. Continuing Mr Donald said he anticipated from the revenue returns already to hand that the Post Office account would at the end of the rear show the surplus that had been expected and that there would be no need to draw on its reserves. The debate was interrupted by the rising of the House at 10.30 p.m. QUESTION TIME RAILWAYMEN’S WAGES DISEASE AMONG SHEEP Wellington, Aug. 20. Replying to Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) in the House of Representatives this afternoon, Mr Forbes said the Minister of Railways had referred to the Railways Board the question whether there was any truth in a rumour that the board intended to reduce the hours of work of railwaymen and wages pro rata. The board had replied that it had not contemplated taking any action such as was suggested. Mr J. Linklater (Manawatu) remarking that farmers in the Manawatu and Rangitikei districts had already lost many sheep, asked whether the Department of Agriculture was taking any steps to deal with a deadly disease that had become prevalent. The Hon A. J. Murdoch replied that the disease was commonly known as sleeping sickness and was particularly troublesome in the Orona and Manawatu districts. Its prevalence varied with seasonal conditions and it was of dietary origin The department had widely disseminated advice relating to the causes of the disease and methods of protection. The Cameron and Soldiers’ Memorial Park (Masterton) Trustees Empowering Bill and the Rotorua Borough Reclamation Empowering Bill were reported from the Lands Committee.

POLITICS BY RADIO. In a statement in the House of Representatives, the Hon. J'B. Donald said the leader of the Labour Party and the Rev C. Carr (Timaru) had recently asked questions concerning broadcastings from 4YA Dunedin of a speech by Mr. Cameron, a past president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce. The matter had actually been taken up with the general manager of the Broadcasting Company before any public comment had been made as it, was clear a good <lc; I ot the subject was controversial ami constituted an infringement of the regulations. The Postmaster-General added: “Tn reply to the department’s inquiries the general manager stated that the

station director at Dunedin considered all reasonable precautions were taken with a view to ensuring that nothing of a controversial or political nature should be introduced. An assurance was received from the secretary of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce to this eSect and an undertaking given that the speech would be confined to Imperial and economic questions. It would appear that the position was not made clear to the speaker prior to the broadcast.

“In a further oommunioation to the general manager of the broadcasting company, the department took up the view that the explanation tendered was not very convincing and that the address should have been properly supervised and the broadcast interrupted immediately controversial matter was commenced. The general manager was also informed that the failure evoked unanswerable criticism and that it is imperative that adequate safeguards should be adopted to prevent a recurrence. The action taken should preclude the possibility of a similar happening.’’