BUDGET DEBATE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 230, 28 August 1929, Page 5

BUDGET DEBATE

SPEECH BY MR LINKLATER. LAND TAX PROPOSALS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. During the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives this evening Mi- J. Linklater (Manawatu) stated that it appeared only reasonable to him that land in New Zealand should be classified before the super-tax was imposed. The man with a mortgage seemed to have received very little sympathy from the Government. It seemed to him that the land tax proposals would do little to cure unemployment and in fact would probably accentuate the problem. The Reform Government had been accused of lack of land policy. The reason for its hesitancy to purchase land and the reason for the hesitancy of private purchasers had been that land prices had not yet reached an economic level, and until land could be purchased at a reasonable figure it was impossible to do justice to the settlers. He had great faith in the possibilities of the undeveloped lands, and he anticipated that with the aid of modem advances in science and the valuable training afforded by the Massey College highly satisfactory results would be achieved. . Replying to an interjection, Air Lmklater said that the Reform Government had undertaken the work of improving undeveloped lands and had been making brisk progress with the task. Mr Linklater said it was a matter of opinion whether the Palmerston North railway deviation should have been undertaken and he personally considered the 'Lcvin-Greatiord railway should have been constructed in its stead. However, as the work had been commenced and a large amount of public money had been expended on it, it was a mistake not to have completed the work. There was no doubt that the present station was inadequate for the needs of Palmerston North to-day, and if a new station was to be built on the present site it would entail a huge expenditure. The deviation would have to be completed on some future occasion, and it was a pity the Government had not completed the work that had been commenced. He was opposed to the two South Island railway works and expressed the opinion that the fares to Christchurch would be greater for pasesngers travelling by the railway extension and the time occupied would also be greater.

FUTURE OF NELSON PROVINCE. WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. Confidence in regard to the future prosperity of the Nelson province was expressed by Air G. C. Black (Motueka) in the course of his Budget speech in the House of Representatives to-night. “We in the Nelson province welcome the decision of tho Government to complete the Midland railway,” said Air Black. “We welcome the decision of the Government to give Nelson what it longed for and what it has long been promised.” There was a feeling that, owing to the earthquake, tho prosperity of Nelson was not going to be as rosy as it otherwise might have been. Mr Black said there was no necessity for him to make reference to the mineral resources of the district; they were well known. With the march of progress tho exploitation of the mineral wealth of New Zealand was not going to be along the same haphazard path as had been its wont in the past. The day of-the gold rush had gone, and that beingj so we had-, a scientific era in its stead The line of the earthquake was not along the proposed railway route. The right bank of tho Buller Gorge was telescoped, but the left bank presented no engineering difficulties as a result of the earthquake. In fact, one of the early reports made by the engineers urged that the route should follow the left bank of the gorge because of the type of country on the opposite side. The construction of the line from Inagahua to Westport should have boon completed years ago. AIINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS A defence of the proposals contained in the Budget was made by the Alinister of Internal Affairs (Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle). The criticism of the Budget had not been of si helpful nature, said the Minister. , A Reform voice: What about the highways funds? The Government had to father a responsibility brought about by the Reform Party in regard to unemployment, continued the Minister. There was a series of interjections as the Alinister' proceeded, and Air Speaker said lie would have to name a member 1 if interruptions did not cease. The Budget criticism of Air D. Jones (Alid-Canterbury) was referred to by Mr Perrelle. “He cast all the political eye-wash it was possible to cast across the floor of the House,” the Minister said. It was grossly unfair to try to injure the Government because it was endeavouring to bring about a sub-division of the large estates.

Regarding the primage question, the Minister quoted figures to show that the additional charge on a 701 b bag of sugar was less than a penny, and the extra charge on other household items would be equally infinitesimal, either to the working man or to the small farmer. Every small farmer would welcome the day when the large “woolking” was paying his fair share of taxation.

The Alinister spoke for only about 20 minutes, after which the debate was adjourned.