PARLIAMENTARY.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1927, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

THE HOUSE. BY TELEGIUVrn rEESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. WELLINGTON. Aug.. 19. The House mot at 2.30 p.ni. Tfic follosvin.jr; Hills wore, introduced and rend a first time:—Minimum Wage Kill (Mr McCombs); Counties’ Amendment Bill ( Hon Bollard) ; Kauri Gum and Industry Aniendinent Bill (Hon McLeod). The House then wont into committee to consider the Estimates. The first item discussed was £79,093 for legislative departments, which was debuted until 10.3 when it

Wius passed. The Prime Minister intimated n short Finance liill would ix> down on Tuesday. Tim House rose at 10.10 till -JM p.m. on Tuesday. .PIG ME MINISTERS SPEECH. Tu tlie House on Thursday ufternoi.n speaking at- the (lose of Budget debate, tin* Prime Minister said he was Very pleased with the tone of the dehate so tar as it had pone. Members had not been extravagant in their demands, notwithstanding the pressure which he knew was behind them in matters of district requirements. It was quite evident that the feeling of the House was that the Budget was a clear and concise statement of the country’s finance, and the .Minister well deserved the many commendations lie had received in this connexion. During the course of the debate the Leader of the Opposition, whose absence from the House they all regretted, had complained that the Government's policy was 'barren, and had urged that- the finances should he organised lor the carrying on of national works, and for the repayment of I he national debt. He (Mr Holland') had not suggested how this was to he done. Ho agreed that one of the best ways to overcome the present agricultural difficulties was a supply of cheap fertilisers, and lie urged lending institutions to subsidise farmers in procuring fertilisers, because there was no hotter way of overtaking deterioration of land, and there could not ho too big a supply of cheap fertilisers. He defended the Government's railway policy in subsidising non-paying branch railways, because that was putting them on a commercial basis. This expenditure was most erotically scrutinised by the Treasury. There was no waste tinder this system, and tho Government was going on with the policy hecan.se they believed that it was sound, and that it would come out all right. LOANS AX 1> PUBLIC WORKS. With regard to the administration <>l loan motleys, he would never consent to a Board supervising public works expendi tine, hut he did not object to criticism. There might he as much examination as they liked, hut the allocation of the public works fund was purely a, matter of Government policy. The ease was dill'erent with local bodies. and it would hate been heller il wo had had a Loral Bodies’ Loans Control Board twenty years ago, for there undoubtedly had been much local body expenditure which had been unwise. Complaint had been made that insufficient New Xenia ml coal was used on our railways, but the Government was making investigations as to how our brown coals imild be made serviceable for that purpose. There was no doubt th it I: this coal could he earlionised. hut il was all a question ol price, and they were now awaiting economic results. TRADE RELATIONS. In discussing our trade relations with the Empire and the rest ol the world, it was necessary always, to remember that botore Britain could release herself from her war entanglements, other countries, which had no such entanglements, had been seeking to capture her markets, but it was. quite wrong to suppose Britain v.as down and out. Slio was making a marvellous industrial recovery in spite of strikes or lock-outs, whatever they might he called, and her export trade was now in value within 15 per cent of her pre-war output. Britain’s people had faced great difficulties, and had made great elforts to pay the huge war debts, and it was our duty to help them in tlioii struggle. It should not always he a case of buying in the cheapest market, hut of /buying in the market ol (greatest interest to us, and he believed the people of the Dominion generally would adopt t.l* - * *• policy. AGIUCULTUR aL EDUCATION. On the question of agricultural education. ho said the Government’s idea in setting tip agricultural colleges was to enable farmers to get the best possible results at tlie least possible cost. At Massey College they had commenced on quite new lines, and wore calling to their aid the best in science and in practical knowledge to manage th e college. He asked farmers and the public to exercise patience, and not to expect extensive results all at once. But as the foundations had been laid he was confident that the college would he of great benefit- to the country. The Government policy, which m had been able only briefly to outline, was designed to promote the best interests of all classes, and no effort would lie spared to give sympathetic and practical effect to that !*• M,. H Holland (Christchurch Not th) ...id the bulk of the criticism ol the Government had been front member, who cle.tot.nced them for increasing the National Debt, while at the same time they inconsistently censured them for not borrowing enough.