IN PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 305, 24 November 1937, Page 10

IN PARLIAMENT

JOTTINGS FROM THE HOUSE. DAIRY PRODUCE MARKETING. A lack of frankness on the part of the Government in disclosing full details of the purchase by the State of Picot Bros., Ltd. ; was alleged by Mr S. G. Smith during the second reading debate on the Finance Bill in the House of Representatives last night. Mr Smith said that although tho Minister of Marketing (Hon. YV. Nash) had displaced under his marketing scheme some of the people who previously handled New Zealand dairy produce in the United Kingdom, the Minister claimed that everyone in the trade at Home was satisfied with the present procedure. How could people who had lost their business be satisfied P As a result of what had been done these people had been- forced to obtain agencies for other countries, and become active competitors of New Zealand in the dairy produce trade. The Minister had not been frank with the House in giving details of the purchase of Picot Bros.. Ltd. The Minister had said he did not know whether the amount paid for the business was £60,000 or £65,000. It seemed that £SOOO was nothing to the Government. There was an utter lack of frankness about the whole business. ILLICIT BETTING.

"I would like to know whether the Government has any intention of placing the whole question of gambling on a proper footing,” Mr W. J. Broadfoot commented. “I understand that the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry) is going to have an investigation made of gambling, and I would like the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash) when he replies, to say when that commission is going to be set up. There is a great amount of illicit betting in New Zealand that does not come within the taxation channel, but if everything was brought into that channel I believe the aggregate return to the Government would be far greater than it is, even after allowance had been made for reduced taxation on sport.” PAGES OF “DON’TS.”

Restrictions imposed by the Department of Housing Construction 911 tenants of State dwellings were criticised by Mr S. G. Smith. He expressed the hope that steps would be taken to relax some of the rules tenants were required to observe. “I understand that before a tenant can occupy a. house he has to sign a very inquisitorial statement, in spite of the fact that we used to hear a lot about the means test imposed by the previous Government, said Mr Smith. “After the statement is signed the tenant is given a booklet containing nine pages ot ‘Dont’s.’ ” MINISTER’S ENTHUSIASM. A tribute to the enthusiasm of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry) for physical fitness was paid by Hon. Y. A. Ward (Wellington), speaking in the second reading debate on the Physical Welfare and Recreation Bill in the Legislative Council. “The Minister himself is a very keen devotee of physical training and in the gymnasium of this building one will quite frequently see _ the Minister punishing the punching ball, Mr Ward added. FRUITS OF TAXATION. • The claim that through the collection of land tax many farmers might be robbed of money which ought to be used in the betterment of their land and stock was made in the House of Representatives by Rt. Hon. .G. W. Forbes. “It might be overlooked that while a man is able to meet his taxa.tion obligations, he can only do so at the expense of his land, with the consequent deterioration in fertility and condition,” Mr Forbes said. ’ I am positive that on some heavily-taxed country there is already a deterioration setting in.” “A PURE AUTOCRAT.” “I think this is the worst form of hardship clause ever to appear in legislation promulgated in New Zealand,” said Mr W. J. Poison. “It gives the Minister of Finance dictatorial powers and makes him a pure autocrat.” Mr Poison said he was not expressing distrust of the Minister. He was concerned with a principle which took power out of the hands of Parliament, where it rightly belonged, and placed it in the keeping of a Minister. SPORT ON THE SABBATH.

“I hope this will not he used to encourage cricket or football at the church door on Sunday,” said Hon. Sir Janies Allen, speaking on the second reading of the Physical Welfare and Recreation Bill in the Legislative Council. Sir James said he did not think it would be wise to encourage too largely the development of physical activities on the Sabbath Day. There were those who attended chill cii on the Sabbath Day. and some provision should be made for those who thought they could get some benefit from attending Divine service. PATRIOTISM ISSUE.

“I am a loyal citizen of the Empire and I resent "being accused of lack of patriotism,” declared Mr W. P. Endean, when speaking in the debate on the Finance Bill. Mr Endean was referring to criticism of statements he had made in an interview with the Svdney Morning Herald in April last. “Because I told the truth about conditions in New Zealand the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash) accused me of damaging tho reputation of my country,” said Mr Endean. “As a public man I have a perfect right to voice my opinions. We are still British people living in a British community. We are not in Russia, and if I care to give an interview to a newspaper that is my affair. I defy anyone to deny the truth of the statements I made in Australia.”