PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 245, 13 September 1935, Page 11

PARLIAMENT

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE REFERENCE TO POWER DISPUTE Numerous speakers contributed to tlie Address-in-lleply debate in the House of Representatives yesterday, including' the members for Manawatu and Rangitikei, while Hon. C. E. Macmillan and Hon. J. G. Cobbe also took part in the discussion. Mr Linklater, in referring to the dispute between the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board and the Palmerston North City Council, urged that the Government take over all the electricity supply systems in the country and administer them on a national basis.

In the Legislative Council interesting references were made to the European situation and New Zealand’s relationship to the question of Britain becomiug involved in a conflict.

HIGH EXCHANGE,

RATE OPPOSED. DEPUTY LEADER OF DEMOCRATS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. The Address-in-lteply debate was continued in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr W. A. Veitch opposed the high exchange which, he said, had done considerable damage to New Zealand’s secondary industries and gave a big advantage to Australian manufacturers. lie criticised Labour’s proposal to inflate the currency, which would adversely affect secondary industries and also the wages of workers. He urged a reduction in taxation, especially the sales tax, which was a drag on industry. LABOUR AND TRADE.

Mr H. G. R. Mason asked whv Mr Y e-itch was so dissatisfied with the Government when he supported it in its drastic measures such as cutting wages and pensions during the depression. He denied the statement made that Labour could not progress with its policy without overseas agreements. It would certainly be its aim to reach agreements with overseas countries,

but domestic trade and domestic conditions must be first considered. They could then go overseas. and try to increase the standard of.. living. It was not necessary that overseas conditions should determine Now Zealand’s standard of living. Air Alason alleged that Hon. S. G. Smith’s statements regarding the Auckland clergy liad caused the greatest indignation in Auckland. Explaining Labour’s monetary policy, he said the aim was to bridge the gap between production and consumption, and the guaranteed price was an element in that policy; hut there were even more important elements. The most important in his view was that of universal superannuation. He said there was no season why people in their old age should have a lower standard of living than they enjoyed earlier in life. The old ideas of thrift had broken down. Labour believed it had the sympathy of all classes in saying the fear of old age should come to an end. FARMING AIEAIBER’S VIEW.

Alt' A. Stuart said he endorsed tho remark made by the mover of the Address that there were a.number of unemployed who did not want work. He would he sorry to see a superannuation scheme started for members of Parliament, and would always oppose any such proposal. He admitted that many men liad neglected their businesses in entering Parliament, but he said many men had come into the House because they could not run a business and many more had tried to get in. He did not agree with Mr C. A. Wilkinson that the Mortgagors Final Adjustment Act did not go far enough. He thought it went a little too far. He said there were many men on farms to-day who would not have been there if it had not been tor the legislation passed in recent years. He contended that if men to-day could not make a success on their farms they should get off the land and make room for someone who could. Despite the statements regarding unemployment the farmer to-day had never been worse off regarding the obtaining of suitable labour. , . , Air Stuart referred to the blanket produced in tire House the other night by Mr R. Semple and said he did not know whether the member liad stolen it or not. He was at once called to order by the Speaker. Air Semple raised a point of order and Mr Stuart was asked to withdraw the remark, which he did. Air Stuart continued to refer to unemployment and said the country had to stop spoon-feeding the unemployed. AIAOHI RELIEF WORKERS. Air E. T. Tirikatene drew attention to the differentiation between the treatment accorded Alaori and European unemployed even though the Maori paid the same unemployment tax and the same levy, ns tho European. He hoped the Alaori relief workers would receive the consideration to which they were entitled. He thanked the Prime Minister for the assurance that legislation would be brought down regarding the housing of the Alaori people. lion. S. G. Smith interjected: If the Alaori were living as the pakelia lie would have received the same benefits as tbe European.

Air Tirikatene said that made one very curious. The Alaori was living as the pakelia, paid the same taxes and had the same responsibilities. AIEMBER FOR MAN AW ATU. Mr J. Linklater referred to the guaranteed price proposal and said it was proposed to fix the price on a basis of prices over eight or ten years. If a boom occurred —and lie did not think anyone would say it would not —tho farmers would not ho satisfied with the price they received. A Labour member interjected: That is only the minimum. Mr Linklater hoped the Alinister of Agriculture would take steps to prevent the ravages of the white butterfly and also have research work undertaken in connection with the black diamond moth. He referred to the power hoard troubles in Palmerston North and expressed the opinion that the Government should take over all hydro-electricity supply stations and run them as national undertakings. Mr Linklater also urged closer supervision over the brakes and lights of motor cars. Afr Semple, by indulgence of the House, referred to the blanket incident. He said lie brought tho matter liefore the House so that the Government could investigate and discover who was the manufacturer of the blanket lie had produced. He had that day been sent a blanket from a woollen company which was an excellent article. He desired to pi event any stigma being placed upon honest manufacturers, but it was tlie dutv of the Government to discover who was guilty of supplying the blanket lie had produced which was nothing less than hare fraud and robbery, and to single that manufacturer out for punishment and prosecution if necessary, so that honest manufacturers might be shielded and protected. EDUCATIONAL TOPICS.

Rev. C. Carr dealt with educational matters and said he did not agree that Latin should be eliminated from the school curriculum. lie urged that education districts should be made smaller and contended that senior inspectors had too much power. Ho agreed that more generous bursaries should be made available and said he doubted if there would have been any unemployment among teachers but for the exclusion of five-year-olds and if the Government had continued the reduction in the sizes of classes. High exchange, Mr Carr contended, had put a brake on imports and had had an adverse effect on local bodies and ratepayers. An indication had been given that it was intended to attempt to fix a guaranteed price for tobacco. If it could bo done for tobacco why not for other commodities ? He referred to assistance to the unemployed and said i.t was recently stated there were 200,000 children in Britain suffering from undernourishment. Apparently the prosperity of the country was being achieved at the expense of the poor. Mr Carr said lie and other members had been waited upon by a deputation

of Crown tenants whose whole theme f was that land values were too high, 1 and advocated a revaluation down- : wards. Ho had asked if they desired 1 revaluation downwards or tho price of ] products of the land upwards, for that was Labour’s policy. The deputation 1 spoke of the deterioration of the land i and urged that Land Purchase Boards ■ be abandoned and that they, allow ordinary land boards to do the job. They urged that leaseholds be made available without auction. Tie sometimes thought fanners were suffering from an inferiority complex. Ho referred to tlio • fact that New Zealand sent thousands of pounds to the Baluchistan earthquake sufferers, and rather thought that charity began at home. “NO OVER-PRODUCTION.” Hon. C. E. Macmillan said it was not correct to say the world was suffering from over-production. Pro‘duction was going into consumption in the world. The statistics of the League of Nations showed there were 400.000,000 people in Central Europe living as they had never lived before. The Government had been making an effort to secure a better distribution of produce and he thought it had been successful even if it were not .complete. He did not claim that the Government had been responsible for the incrense in prices overseas, hut said as New Zealand had not wasted her assets she was in a position to take advantage of extra prices for products.

The result of the visit to the Alinistei of Finance to Britain was that lie liau secured a meat quota they could not fill. New Zealand had to keep as much of the British market as she possibly could, and lie thought they would have the same measure of success if the question of restriction ever arose in the case of butter. He did not believe production should be restricted. He thought the policy or restriction was a wicked one. The Alinister said prosperity was returning and the figures showed that ’ savings hank deposits had increased in the last two years. Tlie sales tax

increases showed that more money was being spent. Imports to New Zealand had increased and tire unemployment tax in the last two years had increased by £600,000 despite the fact that the tax was reduced last year. He criticised the attitude of some of the unemployed who would not go to Die country to work. It was impossible to bring work to the man as many seemed to desire. It would l>e much

better and happier for everybody if those who advocated the claims of the unemployed advised them to take work that was available and try to make things better. AIORE ABOUT THE BLANKETS. Air F. Langstonc characterised Air Macmillan’s remarks about the unem-

ployed as moonshine imd nonsense. The sooner the election came tho better, lie said. He referred to the events loading up to the breakaway of Labour from the Liberals before 1906 and lie claimed that it was good day for New Zealand when Labour did establish its own party. Air Langstonc, referring to the blanket incident, said the Alinister of Employment knew what firm made the blanket which Air Semple produced. ?.li» Qiv» iLli • T rlirl unt

Air Langstone said Air AY. Bromley told Air Semple yesterday afternoon the name of the maker. Mr Smith: That information has not yet been given to me. Air Langstone said he would accept the Minister’s word. He produced a small bag of fluff which, he said, came off a blanket in one niglit. He proceeded to deal with the guaranteed price scheme and criticised. the Government for adhering to the contract entered into with the Colonial Ammunition Company. He referred to the raids on Chinese for playing pakapoo, but said Calcutta sweeps went on unnoticed. He said the mind of the public was not at ease regarding tlie administration of the Justice Department.

Hon. J. G. Cobbe dealt with the contract with the Colonial Ammunition Company. He said the contract had still four years to run and as a result of the quuTity of the ammunition supplied the matter had been placed in the hands of Air A. H. Johnstone, K.C., and the Government was now taking 6,000,000 rounds of ammunition less than it otherwise-would. That meant a saving of £58,000 to the Government. Air Cobbe dealt with Mr Langstone’s speech and said from the language used in the House he doubted if the Labour Party was fit to rule the country. ATr Al. J. Savage: AVlien you get down to personalities we will mix that with you too. The debate was adjourned and tho House rose at 10.30

HOUSING OF MAORIS. BILL BEING PREP ABED. Mr E. T. Tirilcatcne asked the Minister of Native Affairs whether the Government intended to bring down legislation during the present session whereby a proper scheme for housing would be provided for the Maori people. Mr t 'orbes said that last session lie promised legislation would be brought down this session, and it was at present in course of preparation and would be introduced as soon as it was ready. LOWER RELIEF TAX. INFORMATION SOUGHT. Mr D. G. Sullivan to-day asked the Minister of Finance whether it was correct that tile Government proposed to reduce the unemployment tax by twopence or even fourpence. Mr Coates, in reply, said he could only ask Mr Sullivan to wait and see. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BRITAIN’S FOREIGN POLICY. RELATION TO NEW ZEALAND. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. In the Legislative Council to-day, continuing the Address-in-Replv debate, Hon. R. McCallum referred to the Abyssinian position. He said that as a member of the League of Nations Abyssinia had a right to be fairly dealt with. Mr Forbes had been taken to task for saying that when Britain was at war New Zealand was at war, but he was of opinion that every member of the Council and the House should uphold Mr Forbes’s view and let Britain know that the Prime Minister was supoprted. There was some question as to what Mr Forbes had said, but he himself saw no reason why the Prime Minister should go back on the statement lie made in Canada. There was no need to call Parliament together in the event of war, as Mr Forbes could communicate witli every member in two or three hours and obtain his views. The proposal to take a plebiscite was the sheet-anchor of a shuffler. Flo ventured the opinion that a great majority of the constituents would strongly support the Government in telling the Home Government that New Zealand was heart and soul with them. Now Zealand should stand with the Home Government first for sentimental rea-

sons. He contended that Now Zealand had almost hecn spoon-fed by England and over-kindness did not always breed the right spirit. From the trade point of view Britain’s ports had always been open, but had New Zealand reciprocated ? lie asked Britain had never put on a levy on imports from Now Zealand, which had borrowed extensively from Britain. Dealing with Britain’s policy, Mr McCallum said that as honest men they had to say that the Empire Government was hound to the League of Nations. Italy’s policy might be a gigantic bluff, but he could not conceive war if all the members of the League were agreeable. All supplies could be cancelled, but in the final result a few ships, of war supplied by the different nations could blow the Italian navy to smithereens, and without her navy where would Italy be, with her coastline unprotected and the country invaded? There was no reason why the example of the United States shohld not he taken and a federated Europe come into being. Hon. L. M. Isitt said lie had always been a strong pacifist. The only excuse for war was for defence or for the protection of those being ill-treat-ed. While a strong pacifist he was not

an insane pacifist, and unfortunately there were too many insane pacifists and ho was sorry he was able to identify some with the Christian Church. They were wrong from a theological standpoint. Pacifists had no right to encourage the attack of an enemy by advertising to the world that they would not fight. Hon. W. W. Snodgrass said Italy and Abyssinia should be prepared to accept the League’s ruling. There was no doubt that the people of New Zealand, as the Prime Minister bad said, would be behind the' British Governmenit in any steps taken.