REPLY TO CRITICISM,

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 740, 23 June 1923, Page 4

REPLY TO CRITICISM,

SPEECH BY HON. J. G. ANDERSO

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June

The Hon. G. J. Anderson, speakic in the House of Representatives tli evening, replied to some of the critic-is that hud been levelled against the G vernment. It had been said, remarki Mr Anderson, that the. Government hi done nothing to relieve the housii stringency. That was not correct ; thev had done more than the Liber,

Party from the time of the initiation .: the scheme until its was superseded. The first year the Reform Party came into power they built eight houses, in :'.•: second year 200, and up to 1919 ! houses. The only reason wbjr the Housing Department was suspended was that owing to the cost of material and labour it was impossible to build houses at a payable price. No Government could have done more to help on the housing of the people than the Reform Government had done. The Leader of the Opposition had said that the Reform Party had always opposed the operation of the Advances Department, but this was quite contrary to fact because no members of the present party had i rer voted against that department. On the other hand, they had vastly improved it and when the proposed legislation was passed a further great improvement would be made in it for the extension of the borrowing powers would be of inestimable benefit to a large number of small settlers. He wondered if the Liberals would oppose the new proposals of the Government. He claimed that the Government had reduced taxation as far and as fast as the financial exigencies ol tlit <»untrj would permit. In making public appointments the Reform Party had never allowed political considerations to interfere, which was more than could be said of the Liberals. During the 21 years in which the latter had held the reins cf Government they had never under any consideration appointed anyone to any position who was not one of their owii party. He claimed that he was doing his best to improve the position of apprentices in the Dominion and the Government was prepared to meet as far as possible the demands now being unfile for increased pensions of all kinds. Much had been done to relieve unemployment and he was pleased to say that it was not half eo prevalent this year as last year. This month last year there wore 1825 unemployed on the register of the Labour Department, while this year there were only 958. Experience had proved that when trade depression came those who did not have trades were the greatest sufferers. He therefore urged all young men to learn trades as a stand-by. So far as the Imperial Conference was concerned, he considered that they could quite safely send the Prime Minister with a free hand. If the House did not do so, he would begreatly surprised.

At the meeting of the Council ol Education a motion that the council respectfully submit to the Minister i! ij l const ' tutinn of the council should be amended in such a way that it might become an administrative instead or an advisory body, was lost bv 14 votes to three,

The Dannevirke Borough Council last night decided to inform the Prime Minister that it Wholeheartedly supports the -Hiding of the coroner in connection with the recent death of Miss Ransom at the Allardice street railway crossing, emphasising that despite numerous representations to Ministers of the wown, the General Manager of Railways and the Prime Minister, it sincerely regretted that nothing had been done to minimise the danger, and requesting the Prime Minister to immediately giy e instructions to have a flagman placed at the crossing to Safeguard lite. °