POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1929, Page 2

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

.WEII.I.NGTOX, Sect. 26.. A nice compliment was paid to the Prime Minister, to-night by Mr Rushworth; the Country Party member for Bay of Islands, when opening his speech on the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill. ’ / , “We who live close to affairs in Parliament are prone to take too much for granted,” lie said, “but I would like to congratulate the Prime Minister on his recovery from hie repent, illness. We do appreciate the Prime Minister’s patience ami courtesy, and the dignity with which lie discharges his responsible’duties. I'fe‘el sure that all members will agree that we have a sincere respect for him, a respect, may I say that is tinged with affection. Of course that; does'not mean that it is impossible, to differ with him. on thh requirements of tlie political situation. It is inevitable •. that we should sometimes differ.” '

“ALARM AND UNREST.” • t • culmination of - strong condemnation of the land tax proposals from Mr Macmillan (Tauranga) wqs the declaration that it had caused unrest, and alarm throughout the Dominion. ’ .“Is it engineered P” asked the Minister;:’of Justice. 4 Mr Macmillan: It is. easy to make Insinuations, but the Minister should try to prove them, The protests have not been engineered. Take the Canterbury Chamber qf Commerce resolutions, Was that body particularly' concerned about the farmer? The Hop. T. M. Wilford: Are they ail Reformers? ' Mr Maomi|lnn replied that he did not believe that for a moment. The people had been roused, and it would .be wise if the Government withdrew the supertax and consitituted a graduated income tax, a stiff one if they liked.

BURSTING UP BEGINNING. Tpe Taxation Bill is, (stated the, Hpn. E. ' ;A.Random,' ' Minister .of Public Works, tW fulfilment of the .pift-repear-' _ed' proiniße. that large estates will be, Hro|ceri':up. This principle; 1 was echried, by the Reform Opposition wHo'; professpcX to agree with it, but when . they legislation, brought, down.'; wHicH, W*}?' ' actually : going' to’ do .it they placed • eVery obstacle in the way.- IJo hgd. received a' letter from ; a land-owning friend, - who istated that soine of 'His neighbours had -told him that' they. iritended to place their properties on the inarket by cutting thqm up .themselves. They said, their only desire was that they did not- want Sir Joseph Ward to get, credit for it. However, added Mr Ransom, Sir Joseph Ward would get the credit which he deserved. Personally, he had no anxiety .about the ptteot of putting more land ‘on the market. Prices. might come down* slightly but that would not, be so deplorable as the results of the land purchasing of the, former Government,' which • produced, a ruinous boom,

MATAURA, THE TIME SAVER.

Sternly, adhering to his announced de termination not to agree to the extension of time for -peeches in the House Mr . M’Dougall. (Mataura) prevented two speakers from exceeding the half hour period in. the House to-night. Tlie first to suffer was Mr Jones (Mid Canterbury), the solitary voice of Mataura - preventing .the House from adopting the extension motion. When it came to the Minister of Public Works it was the leader of the Opposition, Mr Coates, who moved an extension of time, but Mr M’Dougall said “No.” “The question is so important, and he is making a good speech from his point of view. What we want is an examination o*f the proposals,” ed Mr Coates, in his most pleasant tones, addressing Mr M’Dougall, who retorted with a curt negative.

“Oh, yes, please,” protested Mr Contes, but he Tailed to move the member.

Mr Ransom thanked the Opposition leader for intentions, but assured him that he agreed with the member for Mataura that time extension should be allowed only in the case of leaders.

0 “And while I am here it will,” said Mataura.

THE MAJOR OPERATION

: The real fight against land aggregation in the interests of the landless farmer and his sons, whp had been vainly pleading with the previous Government to give them an opportunity to make a living on the land begins with this taxation Bill,” said the Minister of Labour, the Hon. W. A Veitch in the House to-night. ‘‘Criticism lias been levelled hut there is only one fault ‘to be found and that is that the Prime Minister has been too cautious. This evil of land aggregation is no skin disease; rather it is a cancer eating into the very vitals of this country, and it requires a major operation. The surgeon who. will perform that operation is skilled and courageous, but he is also merciful. He will do his job wjth as little blood letting as possible.” Mr Coates: Yes, with plenty of dope. (Laughter.) A DIFFICULTY. With the intention of getting through the second reading stage of the Taxation Bill before to-day’s sitting closed Sir Joseph Ward moved just before, the usual adjournment time in the House to-night that urgency should be accorded the measure. He was faced with a ruling from the chair that suoh a motion had to be mqde at the com-