GOVERNOR’S SPEECH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 72, 24 February 1932, Page 7

GOVERNOR’S SPEECH

PARLIAMENT OFFICIALLY OPENED. BUDGET DEFICIT INDICATED. 6TATE EXPENDITURE REVIEW. The first session of the 24th Parliament of the Dominion was officially opened this afternoon by His Excellency the Goveraor-Gen- > oral, Lord Bledisloe, who delivered the speech from the Throne. In this reference was made to the numerous subjects affecting the Dominion. His Excellency said : Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of , the House of Representatives, g In conformity with the advice of my t Ministers, I have summoned this speX cial session of the new Parliament $• owing to the abnormal financial aiiu economic position of the Dominion. At the general election my Government, ft in inviting an expression of the counijf; try’s confidence, appealed for unfettered authority in the existing emerSf gency to adopt such measures _ tor P meeting it as circumstances _ might sj from time to time appear to justifyI Since then my Ministers have devoted f their earnest attention to the difficult I' and complex problems confronting f the Dominion, and suitable legislation l will bo submitted for your considerai tion. ' DISARMAMENT. | A general Disarmament Conference under the auspices of the League of I Nations is now meeting at Geneva, at | which this Dominion is represented f by its High Commissioner. It is ( earnestly hoped that this conference E may lead to an effective reduction m world armaments. FAR EAST CRISIS. | My Government view with deep regret the recent disturbance of the © peaceful relations between China and St Japan, two nations with whom New 4 Zealand has long enjoyed friendly St commercial intercourse. The Goveminent trust that the efforts of jiff Great Britain and the other Powers IjiVt to effect reconciliation and peace may be fraught with success. EMPIRE CONFERENCE. An Imperial .Economic Conference fs to meet at Ottawa in July next. My ;jj» Ministers attach the utmost importance to this conference, the deliberaffi! tions of which, they are convinced, ,| will have a profound and lasting efi' feet upon the economic welfare of the f, British Empire, and they are now enW, gaged in taking the preliminary steps - necessary to ensure the adequate re- - presentations of this Dominion and the due presentment of its views on Imperial trade. f TRADE WITH CANADA. The commercial relations between the Dominions of Canada and New Zealand have for some time been receiving the earnest consideration of my Government, and with a view to ! reaching a satisfactory agreement my Minister of Customs has recently held a conference with the Canadian Min- / ister of Trade and Commerce. lam | happy to say that a provisional agreement has been reached, which wdl be placed before you for ratification. My Government recently, arrived at a trade agreement with the Belgian Government, and this also will he laid before you for endorsement. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. I Mr Speaker and gentlemen of the House of Representatives.— | The economic difficulties which still if beset the whole of the civilised world f, continue to affect the well-being of !| this Dominion, and, unfortunately, the ff* hopes which were freely expressed last year that an improvement might be ! v expected have not been realised as I New Zealand is dependent, probably | to a greater extent than any other f country, upon her overseas trade. External conditions have a very direct f effect upon local prosperity. The low prices received for primary products continue to impose severe hardships upon the farming community, resulting, in turn, in a marked diminution in the general business of the country and in the reduction of personal income. All sections of the people are consequently being called upon make sacrifices, and ,it is gratifying to note the determination and sense of public spirit with which the crisis is being met. PUBLIC FINANCES. ; The decline in trade is intimately reflected in the Public Accounts, said it is estimated that the year will close with a deficit which is unavoidable in the circumstances. Details of the present and prospective position of the public finances will be duly placed before you. Steps have already been taken greatly to curtail expenditure upon public works, but the resources likely to be available for this purpose will be so seriously diminished by the existing financial stringency that my Ministers consider a further drastic reduction to be inevitable. ... An Economy Commission Iras reoently been appointed to review and report upon the public expenditure m all its aspects, and also to indicate directions in which further economies may be effected. Copies of the Commission’s reports will in due course be placed before you. DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIES. Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: With a view to the prudent and progressive development of secondary industries a special Development _ of Industries Committee has been set up in pursuance of legislation passed last year, and my Ministers confidently hope that its investigations will load to the closer application of science to industry and to the expansion upon sound lines of manufacturing enterPnSe ‘COMING LEGISLATION.

Experience 1 laving shown 'that the provisions of the Mortgagors Relief Act are inadequate to cope with present conditions, it is proposed to review and extend the existing legislation on this subject. Measures will be submitted for your consideration, for improving the method of unemployment relief, for amending the present arbitration system, and generally tor meeting the special conditions / which have arisen out of the current economic crisis. ■' ’ I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your deliberations.